Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

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Ritual food vessel, or gui, with coiled figures and taotie masks

  • Description

    Bronze ritual vessels were probably first manufactured in China during the early part of the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC–1050 BC), and this continued, with various changes in shapes and decoration until the end of the Eastern Zhou period in the third century BC. The earliest bronzes were decorated with narrow horizontal bands, with swirling ornamental lines centred on a pair of prominent eyes. These abstract patterns were developed during the Shang Dynasty and Western Zhou period (1050BC-771BC) to become more complex animal-like designs. The eyes provide a focus around which a more or less easily recognisable animal face gradually forms. This symmetrical mask, known as a taotie, and a related mythical beast called a kuei dragon are the predominant decorative themes on Shang bronzes.

    The decoration on this gui shows a further development in style where the main elements of the taotie and kuei were gradually separated and distinguished from the background, which was filled with squared-off curls called leiwen. The leiwen are cast in relief on this vessel, with the main design raised above it with certain elements in even higher relief. The animals, with their curled trunks, resemble elephants more than kuei dragons, and their bodies are coiled rather than extended. The band around the foot of the vessel is also decorated with a frieze of kuei dragons.

  • Details

    Associated place
    Asia China (place of creation)
    Date
    2nd half of the 11th century - 1st half of the 9th century BC
    Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 1050 - c. 771 BC)
    Material and technique
    bronze
    Dimensions
    15 x 25 x 19 cm max. (height x width x depth)
    Material index
    Technique index
    formed cast
    Object type index
    No. of items
    1
    Credit line
    Presented by Sir Herbert Ingram, 1956.
    Accession no.
    EA1956.830
  • Further reading

    Watson, William, Ancient Chinese Bronzes, Arts of the East (London: Faber and Faber, 1962), pl.45a

    Loveday, Helen, Chinese Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum: An Illustrated Handbook to the Collections (Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, 1990), p. 28, illus. p. 23 pl. 7

    Tregear, Mary, Chinese Art, World of Art Library (London: Thames and Hudson, 1980), figs 16-17, p. 31

Glossary (2)

gui, taotie

  • gui

    A Chinese ritual food vessel with a deep bowl on a foot ring and handles.

  • taotie

    Stylized monster mask decoration with prominent eyes and scrolling horns. The motif has been known since the 1100s. Its significance remains mysterious.

Location

    • Ground floor | Room 10 | China to 800

Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.

 

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