Wine Vessel (Gu)觚

bronze 青銅, 37cm tall, Shang dynasty 商 (1600–1046 BC), China 中國

On loan from the James E. Conley Collection

cat# 170197

A tour de force of casting, this elegant wine beaker features three bands of designs. The foot of the vessel cast with a large pair of horned and feathered taotie masks, centered around a large pair of eyes, divided by a central rib forming the nose. The dense leiwen ground featuring geometric swirls representing fur or feathers. The middle section also cast in the same manner with another pair of taotie masks. The topmost section cast with a blade design with a two section design. The lower section cast with cicadas, the top with blades.

The gu is an ancient form, used as a drinking vessel for wine. In the Shang Dynasty, bronze vessels such as this were used for elaborate feasts, as well as rituals honoring the ancestors. Unfortunately, because of the high lead content in their bronze eating and drinking vessels, over time, the Shang nobility fell victim to lead poisoning, affecting both their physical and mental capacities.