Ritual wine container (zun) with masks (taotie)

Object Details

• Description

  Ceremonial vessel, type zun. Light green patina. Traces of reddish and black pigments in the design. Incrustations of cuprite and azurite inside. Inscribed on the bottom of the interior, Ya Mo Quan Fu Ding 亚莫犬(獏)父丁 (“Deputy Officer of the Hounds [for the Royal Hunting Grounds] at Mo (made for) Deceased Father Ding”).

• Inscriptions

  Inscribed on the bottom of the interior, Ya Mo Quan Fu Ding 亚莫犬(獏)父丁 (“Deputy Officer of the Hounds [for the Royal Hunting Grounds] at Mo (made for) Deceased Father Ding”)

• Provenance

  From 1941 to 1943

  C. T. Loo & Company, New York from November 1941 [1]

  From 1943

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from C. T. Loo & Company on December 8, 1943 [2]

  Notes:

  [1] See C. T. Loo's stockcard no. 87477: "Bronze Tsun relief [masks]. Shang," C. T. Loo & Frank Caro Archive, Musée Guimet, Paris, copy in object file.

  [2] See C. T. Loo's invoice, dated December 8, 1943, copy in object file.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Anyang: China's Ancient City of Kings (February 25, 2023 to April 28, 2024)

  Ancient Chinese Bronzes (May 9, 1993 to February 10, 1997)

  Chinese Art (February 18, 1983 to April 1, 1987)

  Chinese Art (March 15, 1982 to June 15, 1982)

  Chinese Art (January 1, 1963 to March 6, 1981)

  Chinese Bronze, Jade, Marble (March 1, 1957 to January 1, 1963)

  Centennial Exhibition, Galleries 14 and 15 (February 25, 1956 to March 1, 1957)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Jade and Bronze (August 26, 1955 to October 25, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1955 (October 24, 1955 to February 25, 1956)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1945 (January 9, 1945 to August 20, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1944 (December 13, 1944 to May 7, 1946)

• Previous custodian or owner

  C.T. Loo & Company (1914-1948)

• Origin

  Anyang, probably Henan province, China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Vessel

• On View

  Sackler Gallery 24c: Anyang: China's Ancient City of Kings

• Restrictions and Rights

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  BCE 1000s

• Name

  C.T. Loo & Company

• Place

  China, Henan province, Anyang

• Topic

  Art, Chinese Art, Anyang period, Late Shang dynasty (ca. 1300 - 1050 BCE), Shang dynasty (ca. 1600 - ca. 1050 BCE)

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)

• On View

  Yes