East Asia, China, Han Dynasty, ca. 206 BCE to 220 CE. A hand-built pottery funerary jar, known as a "hu" vessel, that is of sizable, flat-bottomed form with a pair of stylized taotie maskettes acting as ring handle holders. The grayware vessel displays faint remains of vibrant red-orange and black pigment that would have perhaps created swirling, sweeping motifs resembling clouds - evocative of celestial and immortal realms. Hu vessels were used for storing offerings of wine for the deceased, and were influenced by far older bronze wine vessels produced for the elite of ancient Chinese society from the late Shang Dynasty through to the Warring States. Size: 9.625" W x 10" H (24.4 cm x 25.4 cm)

Provenance: private Santa Barbara, California, USA collection; ex-Charles Craig collection, before 2000

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#179017

One stable hairline fissure along rim, and loss to one ring handle as shown. Fading to surface pigment, softening to some finer details on taotie masks,