J.J. Lally & Co., Oriental Art / New York City, New York
MenuPast Exhibition
Bronze and Gold in Ancient China
March 24 - April 12, 2003
23.
A LARGE GILT BRONZE PHOENIX PLAQUE
Eastern Han Dynasty, A.D. 2nd - Early 3rd Century
shown in silhouette, with long tail feathers and wings displayed, the surface pierced with decorative holes and engraved with details on the wings and outlining the body, with one large and four small studs remaining from original attachment spikes, the bronze sheet richly gilded overall, showing encrusted green corrosion around the edges and with traces of cuprite red widely scattered, especially on the engraved lines.
Width 16 3⁄8 inches (41.5 cm)
Height 16 3⁄8 inches (41.5 cm)
Gilt bronze ornamental plaques of this type with engraved decoration and silvered backgrounds were made as tomb decoration in Western China, during the Eastern Han dynasty and many examples have been found in Sichuan and Gansu provinces. A group of ornamental plaques similar to catalogue nos. 23-33 excavated in eastern Sichuan province during archaeological work in 1982 – 1987 is described and illustrated in a report entitled Chongqing Wushanxian Dong Han liujin tongpaishi de faxian yu yanjiu (Discovery and investigation of Eastern Han gilded bronze ornamental plaques from Wushan county, Chongqing), published in Kaogu, 1998, No. 12, pp. 77 – 86.
