This very finely cast bronze urn in an archaistic form was made in the very late 19th century approximately 1895-1900. Done with an apocryphal feeling to honor the ancient past, the vase is beautifully rendered in low relief in bronze covering almost the entire body of the urn. The predominant features are the divided taotie masks that compose the swelling middle body of the vase and also at the corners of the upper section. Crisp but subtle, the casting is clearly handled with great attention to linear form. The patina is very nice and consists of a modeled golden brown with a slight but very lite Verdigris color. The urn has an old rosewood base and lid that seems to have been purpose made for the object. Finally, the whole is set off with a carved jade finial...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Archaistic Jade Furniture