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THBFine Han Dynasty Terracotta Censer w/ Taotie Masks
Lot 110e
About Seller
Artemis Gallery
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
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Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$3,000 - $4,500
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| $20,000 | $2,500 |
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About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Feb 21, 2019
Set Reminder
2019-02-21 10:00:00
2019-02-21 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities, Asian, Ethnographic
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-asian-ethnographic-3858
An important one-day auction featuring museum-worthy examples of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Russian, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine Art, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
An important one-day auction featuring museum-worthy examples of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Russian, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine Art, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (472)
- Lot Description
East Asia, China, Han Dynasty, ca. 206 BCE to 220 CE. Wow! An incredible example of a ceramic censer, made to resemble bronze, with a sparkling, silvery-green low-fired glaze, an early form of celadon. The vessel is squat, gradually widening to a flanged rim, and sitting upon tripod legs; above that is a curved shoulder with a short, round neck and small mouth painted dark red on the rim. On the sides are two taotie masks with projecting loops that hold large rings perfectly constructed from clay. The three legs are in the form of the face of another mythological creature, perhaps a long-nosed tengu. Size: 8.85" W x 11.25" H (22.5 cm x 28.6 cm)
The taotie is one of the "four fiends" or "four evil creatures" of Chinese mythology, and it is a particularly fascinating and ancient symbol seen on Shang Dynasty bronzes. In the Lushi Chunqiu, known in English as Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals, a Chinese encyclopedia compiled around 239 BCE, the taotie is described thusly: "The taotie on Zhou bronzes has a head but no body. When it eats people, it does not swallow them, but harms them" (16/3a Prophecy). This and other ancient descriptions of the creature suggest that it related to making food offerings/sacrifices for the insatiable spirits of the dead. Some scholars believe that the creature is part of the mysterious communication between people and the gods.
This vessel would have been placed into a tomb as an offering, and represents the early stages of mass produced Chinese pottery in state-controlled workshops - a technological advancement that would characterize Chinese material culture for the next millennia and more. The low-fired glaze was made using lead, so it is for the best that it was meant for a grave rather than use in life!
Provenance: private Vero Beach, Florida, USA collection; ex-old English collection
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
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#144338One leg reattached; one ring repaired; a small chip at mid-body rim restored with modern clay. Tiny chips and nicks on body commensurate with age. Otherwise in beautiful condition with nice deposits on the surface.Condition
- Shipping Info
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