Description:

East Asia, China, Shang Dynasty, ca. 11th century BCE. A gorgeous piece of mottled grey tremolite with black and brown flecks and a sparkling appearance, string cut, drilled, and polished to a very thin ceremonial axe blade with a slightly sharpened, wide edge and a large round perforation on the narrow end for attachment. Each side features an anthropomorphic figure in low relief wearing a dramatic garment with a taotie mask on its chest. This figure's face and the mask project outward from the stone, while the body is composed of incised swirls. Size: 6.45" W x 4" H (16.4 cm x 10.2 cm)

The taotie is one of the "four fiends" or "four evil creatures" of Chinese mythology, and is a particularly fascinating and ancient symbol - seen on Shang Dynasty funerary items made of bronze and stone. 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.

Provenance: private Ventura County, California, USA collection, purchased prior to 2008

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#152953

  • Condition: Light surface wear commensurate with age but overall in excellent condition. Light deposits on surface.

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December 15, 2022 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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