Period:Shang dynasty Production date:15thC BC-10thC BC
Materials:jade, cinnabar (traces),
Technique:carved, incised, polished, drilled,
Subjects:taotie mask
Dimensions:Height: 3.40 centimetres Length: 4.60 centimetres
Description:
Taotie mask fitting of translucent green jade with calcified mottling and extensive traces of cinnabar polished to a good gloss.
IMG
![图片[1]-mask BM-2022-3034.103-China Archive](https://chinaarchive.net/Shang dynasty/Jades/mid_Mask.jpg)
Comments:The triangular convex mask incised in low relief depicting curled and notched horns, eyes and snout with a central, vertical perforation. Perforations also drilled through the curled horns and on either side of the snout. The sides of the mask show dragons in profile with open jaws, coiled horns and tails. Shang. Width 48mm. Height 36mm. Depth 30mm. The sharp angle dividing this animal face down the centre indicates that may have been carved from a section of a cong. The wide corner of the original cong is seen at the top of the face, and small vertical plumes may have been carved from the collar. The face is triangular in outline, with slanting eyes above open jaws, shown either side of the nose in the manner of taotie faces on Shang bronzes. Above the hooked jaws are further small plumes on either side of the upper part of the head and these abut inward-curling, notched horns. Holes are drilled on either side of the snout, and further holes are also formed within the curling horns. If each side of the face is looked at separately from the whole, the profile of a dragon can perhaps be made out with open jaws, coiled horns and tail. The inside of the carving is curved. Jades with a close resemblance to bronze taotie designs are rare, for the obvious reasons that jade and bronzed were used in different contexts and each material had its own design tradition. Another face, also carved from an angled piece of jade, which resembles that of a taotie on a bronze ritual vessel was formerly in the same private collection (see Sotheby’s 6 December 1983, lot 129). See Rawson 1995, p.220, cat.no.12.16. See Salmony 1963, Ayers and Rawson 1975, and Min Chiu 1985.
Materials:jade, cinnabar (traces),
Technique:carved, incised, polished, drilled,
Subjects:taotie mask
Dimensions:Height: 3.40 centimetres Length: 4.60 centimetres
Description:
Taotie mask fitting of translucent green jade with calcified mottling and extensive traces of cinnabar polished to a good gloss.
IMG
Comments:The triangular convex mask incised in low relief depicting curled and notched horns, eyes and snout with a central, vertical perforation. Perforations also drilled through the curled horns and on either side of the snout. The sides of the mask show dragons in profile with open jaws, coiled horns and tails. Shang. Width 48mm. Height 36mm. Depth 30mm. The sharp angle dividing this animal face down the centre indicates that may have been carved from a section of a cong. The wide corner of the original cong is seen at the top of the face, and small vertical plumes may have been carved from the collar. The face is triangular in outline, with slanting eyes above open jaws, shown either side of the nose in the manner of taotie faces on Shang bronzes. Above the hooked jaws are further small plumes on either side of the upper part of the head and these abut inward-curling, notched horns. Holes are drilled on either side of the snout, and further holes are also formed within the curling horns. If each side of the face is looked at separately from the whole, the profile of a dragon can perhaps be made out with open jaws, coiled horns and tail. The inside of the carving is curved. Jades with a close resemblance to bronze taotie designs are rare, for the obvious reasons that jade and bronzed were used in different contexts and each material had its own design tradition. Another face, also carved from an angled piece of jade, which resembles that of a taotie on a bronze ritual vessel was formerly in the same private collection (see Sotheby’s 6 December 1983, lot 129). See Rawson 1995, p.220, cat.no.12.16. See Salmony 1963, Ayers and Rawson 1975, and Min Chiu 1985.
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