COLLECTION NAME:
National Palace English
Record
Work ID:
M01B00050
Title:
Bronze Yue axe with animal mask motif
Creation Date:
Late Shang and Early Zhou Dynasty
Start Year Date:
B.C.1321
End Year Date:
B.C.950
Dynasty:
05 Shang Dynasty (c. 1600 ~1100 B.C.)
Dynasty:
06 Zhou Dynasty (c. 1100 ~ 256 B.C.)
Creation Place:
China
Measurements:
Height: 6.5 cm; Weight: 480g
Material:
Bronze
Form:
Yue (axe)
Type:
Bronzes
Repository:
The National Palace Museum, Taipei
Description:
The type of decoration on this yue is frequently seen in the central plains. Decorations are mainly situated on the "insides", the rear side of the axe and the tubular shaft. The rear side of the axe is decorated with thin lines of shallow relief mostly in thunder patterns. There are also flat T-hook shaped patterns that resemble flanges, which also belong to the decorative system of the central plains. The flat "inside" is decorated with cloud-and-thunder like patterns, but the eyes of animals seem to emerge from the geometric patterns making them geometricized animal mask motifs.
ImageV ID:
M01B00050AS002
Rights:
Lee & Lee Communications