Bronze Gu-shaped beaker vase

A heavily-cast bronze beaker vase of square format in the form of an archaic Gu beaker. The four flat sides are decorated in shallow relief, based on archaic bronzes, with cicadas, intertwined dragons and taotie masks. The four corners have high-relief broken flanges with engraved decoration of scroll patterns. The vase has acquired a mellow, chocolate-brown patina.

Both the form and the decoration of this interesting, heavily cast bronze vase are based on an archaic beaker of Gu-form.  For other shapes based on archaic bronzes from the Kresko collection see: Later Chinese Bronzes[1].

Provenance:
the collection of Paul Bromberg, Thailand and Hong Kong.

1. Hu, P. K. Later Chinese Bronzes, the Saint Louis Art Museum and Robert E. Kresko Collections, Saint Louis Art Museum, 2008, no’s 6, 7, 9 and 17, pp 42-7, 48-51, 56-61 and 94-9.