Ornament in the form of a mask (taotie)

Triangular mask with cicada below; green. (Mostly calcified; nicks in edges and nicks and pits on back; old paper labels adhering to back.)

The large, oval-shaped face is presented frontally, surmounted by a central symmetrical projection flanked by curving horns. A triangular pendant beneath the face is perforated, slightly off center. Pairs of incised lines define the facial features and the ornaments on the horns and triangular pendant.

ā€¦ Read More

Historical period(s)
Anyang period, Late Shang dynasty, ca. 1250-ca. 1050 BCE
Medium
Jade (nephrite)
Dimensions
H x W x D: 11.3 Ɨ 7.6 Ɨ 0.6 cm (4 7/16 Ɨ 3 Ɨ 1/4 in)
Geography
China, probably Henan province, Anyang
Credit Line
Gift of Arthur M. Sackler
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Collection
Accession Number
S1987.888
On View Location
Sackler Gallery 24b: Anyang: China's Ancient City of Kings
Classification(s)
Jade, Jewelry and Ornament
Type

Plaque

Keywords
Anyang period (ca. 1300 - ca. 1050 BCE), China, mask
Provenance

To 1959
Abel William Bahr (1877-1959), Shanghai, China, London, England, Montreal, Canada, New York, NY, and Ridgefield, Connecticut [1]

From 1959 to 1963
Edna H. Bahr (d. 1978), by descent from her father, Abel William Bahr

From 1963 to 1987
Arthur M. Sackler, New York, purchased from Edna H. Bahr in 1963 [2]

From 1987
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of Arthur M. Sackler on September 11, 1987 [3]

Notes:

[1] According to information provided by the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, October 9, 2009.

[2] See #546: "Triangular mask with cicada below green," on list provided by the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, October 9, 2009, copy in object file.

[3] Pursuant to the agreement between Arthur M. Sackler and the Smithsonian Institution, dated July 28, 1982, legal title of the donated objects was transferred to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery on September 11, 1987.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Edna H. Bahr died 1978
Abel William Bahr 1877-1959
Dr. Arthur M. Sackler 1913-1987

Description

Triangular mask with cicada below; green. (Mostly calcified; nicks in edges and nicks and pits on back; old paper labels adhering to back.)

The large, oval-shaped face is presented frontally, surmounted by a central symmetrical projection flanked by curving horns. A triangular pendant beneath the face is perforated, slightly off center. Pairs of incised lines define the facial features and the ornaments on the horns and triangular pendant.

Published References
  • J. Keith Wilson, Jingmin Zhang. Jades for Life and Death. .
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Jades for Life and Death
Google Cultural Institute
SI Usage Statement

Usage Conditions Apply

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery welcome information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

citation | Save this image How to download an image | Request Permission | Terms of Use

Related Objects