Ritual wine container (hu) with masks (taotie) and dragons

Object Details

• Description

  Bronze ceremonial vessel, type hu [Ch]. Decoration cast in high and low relief in six registers. Silvery patination with green inscrustations. Shape ovoid in section with swelling body and slightly flaring mouth and foot. Handles in shape of bovine heads.

• Provenance

  From 1947 to 1948

  C. T. Loo & Company, New York, from at least May 6, 1947 [1]

  From 1948

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from C. T. Loo & Company on June 21, 1948 [2]

  Notes:

  [1] See C. T. Loo's stockcard no. 87520: "Bronze ritual vessel large "HU" on a high oval rim foot. Silvery and rough green patina. SHANG," C. T. Loo & Frank Caro Archive, Musée Guimet, Paris, copy in object file. According to an annotation on the stockcard, the bronze was imported from China in 1947. On May 6, 1947, it was taken by Loo to the Freer Gallery for examination.

  [2] See C. T. Loo's invoice, dated June 21, 1948, 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)

  Clay and Metal: Ancient Chinese Ceramics and Metal (February 25, 1997 to August 9, 2011)

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

  Chinese Art (June 15, 1982 to September 24, 1982)

  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)

• 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

• Restrictions and Rights

  CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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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

  Bronze, Art, Sculpture, Chinese Art, Anyang period, Late Shang dynasty (ca. 1300 - 1050 BCE), Masks, Metal-work

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)