Wine beaker (Gu)

This tall, slender wine beaker has a dramatic profile that curves in an unbroken arc from rim to foot. Three horizontal registers of decoration, separated by narrow bands of raised lines, create an articulated surface. The top register consists of four tapering blades of ornament that emphasize the graceful upward curve of the flaring neck. The middle and bottom registers are composed of bold taotie masks raised on a ground filled with squarish spirals. The wide band that define both the mouth rim and molded foot further enhance the substantial appearance of the vessel. Cast on the interior side of the foot is an inscription that reads, "X X fu ding" (X X Father Ding).

Credit: Bequest of Adrian Cravath Larkin, 2014