拍賣筆記 vol.102 佳士得紐約：吉賽爾，晚商安陽時期青銅方鼎，37.8萬美元售出 - Gisèle Croës, A Late Shang Dynasty Anyang Bronze Rectangular Ritual Food Vessel, Fangding

競爭不是很激烈，這樣的方鼎，其實還是可以買的，37.8萬美元（人民幣276萬元）。非常便宜！

本方鼎內壁鑄有銘文「父乙」二字，後隨一「鼎」形符號。同樣的銘文亦見於玫茵堂珍藏的一件鼎器上（參見戴克成，《玫茵堂中國青銅器》，卷一附錄，香港，2013年，頁116-117，編號69），以及上海博物館所藏一對爵杯上（參見《殷周金文集成》，北京，1984年，編號8421、8422）。另有一件爵杯，其銘文中「鼎」字符號位於「父乙」之上，現藏安陽博物館，刊於《中原文物》，第3期，河南，1986年，頁119。

美國私人珍藏

晚商 安陽時期 公元前十三至十一世紀 青銅方鼎

LATE SHANG DYNASTY, ANYANG, 13TH-11TH CENTURY BC

估價

美元 350,000 – 美元 450,000

晚商安陽青銅方鼎： Shang Dynasty Bronze Fangding_ Gisèle Croës Collection

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絕版威尼斯1954中國藝術大展圖錄：MOSTRA D'ARTE CINESE 1954

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晚商 安陽時期 公元前十三至十一世紀 青銅方鼎

銘文：父乙鼎

8 in. (20.3 cm.) high

來源

Gisèle Croës，布魯塞爾，1999年5月7日

出版

于省吾，《商周金文錄遺》，北京，1957年，編號48

嚴一萍，《金文總集》，台北，1983年，編號0514

Gisèle Croës，《Ritual food vessels in early China: selected objects》，布魯塞爾，1999年3月，頁20-21

展覽

紐約，Gisèle Croës，「Ritual food vessels in early China: selected objects」，紐約国际亚洲艺术博览会，1999年3月25-30日

象徵王權的方鼎，對商代統治階層有極為重要的意義。現存規模最大的商代青銅禮器即「司母戊方鼎」，通高133公分，重達875公斤，於1939年在安陽市武官村出土，現藏中國國家博物館（參見《中國青銅器全集：商2》，北京，1997年，第2卷，頁48，編號47）。體積如此龐大的方鼎乃商代王室專屬之器，而一般尺寸的方鼎則供高級貴族使用。本件方鼎氣勢雄渾、鑄造精美，足以顯示商代晚期安陽都城青銅器設計與鑄造工藝的高度成就。

本方鼎內壁鑄有銘文「父乙」二字，後隨一「鼎」形符號。同樣的銘文亦見於玫茵堂珍藏的一件鼎器上（參見戴克成，《玫茵堂中國青銅器》，卷一附錄，香港，2013年，頁116-117，編號69），以及上海博物館所藏一對爵杯上（參見《殷周金文集成》，北京，1984年，編號8421、8422）。另有一件爵杯，其銘文中「鼎」字符號位於「父乙」之上，現藏安陽博物館，刊於《中原文物》，第3期，河南，1986年，頁119。

國立故宮博物院藏有一件紋飾相近、但體形較大（高24.4公分）、且足部更為修長的方鼎（見《故宮商代青銅禮器圖錄》，臺北，1998年，頁560-563，編號96）。另有一件大小（高20.8公分）及紋飾均可資比較的方鼎，曾收錄於貝格利所著之《賽克勒收藏商代青銅禮器》，劍橋，1987年，頁472-475，編號88，後於2010年3月25至26日於紐約佳士得拍出（拍品號1003）。其他可作參考者，尚包括2012年3月22日於紐約佳士得拍賣之方鼎（高22.2公分，拍品號1508），以及「紹方鼎」（高20.7公分），主紋飾為饕餮面具，角部由夔龍構成，鼎口下緣裝飾夔龍紋帶，曾於2019年3月22日紐約佳士得「權勢與榮耀：重要歐洲收藏中國青銅禮器專拍」中拍出（拍品號1506）。

商代晚期青銅方鼎：常見問題解答

一、什麼是方鼎？其在商代晚期（約公元前13至11世紀）有何重要性？

方鼎為一種青銅鑄成的方形禮器，主要用以盛放祭祀食物。商代晚期（尤其是安陽時期），方鼎對統治階級而言具有崇高的象徵意義，代表著王權，常用於重大祭祀儀式中。方鼎尺寸的大小通常能反映其主人的社會地位，例如體積巨大的「司母戊方鼎」僅供王室專用，而一般大小的方鼎則由高級貴族使用。方鼎廣泛出現在墓葬及祭祀遺址中，凸顯其在商代宗教與政治生活中的重要地位。

二、本器所述方鼎之主要特徵為何？

本件方鼎為商代晚期安陽時期（約公元前13至11世紀）所鑄造之青銅方形禮食器，高約8英寸（20.3公分），造型雄渾有力，鑄工精細卓越，反映當時青銅器工藝已臻成熟。器內壁鑄有「父乙」二字，後緊接「鼎」之圖符；該銘文亦見於其他已知的相關青銅器，呈現出一定的宗族或家族聯繫。

三、本器銘文「父乙鼎」的意涵為何？

本器內壁鑄有銘文「父乙鼎」，其義為「父乙」及後隨之「鼎」符號。「父乙」一般被認為是某位已故祖先的廟號或尊稱，很可能指稱一位重要男性先祖；而「鼎」則是鼎器本身的象形符號。此銘文應是用於表明此器乃獻予先祖父乙，反映了此鼎用於祭祀祖先、奉獻食物的禮儀功能。此外，其他青銅器亦有此銘文，顯示此祖先與器主可能同屬一個宗族或家族系統。

四、本器與其他已知商代青銅方鼎相比如何？

此方鼎高20.3公分，屬於適合高級貴族使用的中型方鼎，而非王室專屬。資料中提及數件類似的方鼎，例如台北國立故宮博物院藏品，其紋飾相近，但尺寸較大（高24.4公分）；另有曾收藏於賽克勒收藏的方鼎（高20.8公分），以及近年在紐約佳士得拍賣的數件方鼎（高分別為22.2公分及20.7公分）。這些比較範例凸顯了商代統治階層內部使用方鼎的差異，也顯示這些器物在形制與用途上的共同性。

五、本器的來源及展覽史透露了其哪些歷史資訊？

本件方鼎最早可追溯至1999年時由布魯塞爾的古董商吉賽爾・克羅埃斯（Gisèle Croës）所經手，並刊登於其編著的《中國早期青銅禮食器選錄》一書，且曾於1999年3月紐約國際亞洲藝術博覽會中展出。這一流傳史及展覽紀錄表明此器在現代藝術市場與學術界所獲得的高度重視與肯定；其經過重要收藏與國際展覽，進一步凸顯其作為商代青銅藝術範例的重要性與藝術價值。

六、「司母戊方鼎」與本器及其他方鼎的關係為何？

「司母戊方鼎」為現存最大的商代青銅禮器，高133公分，重達875公斤，其體量顯示此器專供王室使用。雖然本器尺寸較小屬於「常規」大小，但司母戊方鼎提供了一個重要的參考點，揭示方鼎器型使用上的等級差異。龐大的王室方鼎與較小的貴族方鼎同時存在，凸顯了商代社會的階級分化，並證明方鼎作為禮器的象徵意義。

七、本器精美的鑄造與紋飾表現出商代晚期何種技術與藝術水平？

本方鼎的「造型雄渾」與「鑄工精細」體現出商代晚期安陽地區高度成熟的青銅鑄造工藝及藝術成就。能夠鑄造如此細緻、紋飾精美的器物，並在其中鑄出精確的銘文，反映出當時冶金及鑄模製作技術已達高峰。同時，類似紋飾的方鼎存在，亦證明當時存在成熟的藝術風格及專業的工藝作坊，反映出商代手工業的高度發展水準。

八、本器除了藝術與物質價值外，對研究商代文明有何重要意義？

此方鼎如同其他商代青銅禮器，對研究商代的宗教信仰、社會結構及政治制度具有重要的價值。其作為祭祀食器，與商代最重要的祖先崇拜密切相關；銘文則提供了家族或宗族的歷史資訊，並突出了血緣世系的重要性。此外，其所代表的所有者地位與社會權威，更進一步印證商代社會的等級性。此外，作為技術與藝術的結晶，本器亦彰顯了商代文明在文化與工藝上的卓越成就。

A VERY RARE AND FINELY CAST BRONZE RECTANGULAR RITUAL FOOD VESSEL, FANGDING

LATE SHANG DYNASTY, ANYANG, 13TH-11TH CENTURY BC

One wall of the interior is cast with inscription reading Fu Yi (Father Yi), followed by a graph, ding.

8 in. (20.3 cm.) high

Estimate

USD 350,000 – USD 450,000

PROVENANCE

Gisèle Croës, Brussels, 7 May 1999.

LITERATURE

Yu Shengwu, Shang Zhou jinwen luyi (Record of Shang and Zhou bronze inscriptions), Beijing, 1957, no.48.

Yan Yiping, Jinwen zongji (Corpus of bronze inscriptions), Taipei, 1983, no. 0514.

Gisèle Croës, Ritual food vessels in early China: selected objects, Brussels, March 1999, p.20-21.

EXHIBITED

New York, Gisèle Croës, Ritual food vessels in early China: selected objects, New York International Asian Art Fair, 25-30 March 1999.

Symbolizing royal power, fangding vessels had great significance for Shang ruling elites. The largest extant Shang bronze ritual vessel is the Si Mu Wu Fangding, measuring 133 cm. high and weighing 875 kilograms, found in 1939 in Wuguan village, Anyang city, and now in the National Museum of China. See Zhongguo qingtongqi quanji: Shang 2 (Complete Collection of Chinese Bronzes: Shang), vol. 2, Beijing, 1997, p. 48, no. 47. While massive fangding vessels were made exclusively for kings and queens, fangding of regular size were reserved for high-ranking aristocrats. The powerful proportions and fine casting of the current fangding demonstrate the sophistication of bronze design and casting in the late Shang capital, Anyang. 

The inscription cast on one interior wall of the current fangding reads Fu Yi (Father Yi) followed by a graph depicting a ding food vessel. The same inscription can be found a ding tripod vessel in the Meiyintang Collection, illustrated by C. Deydier, Chinese Bronzes from the Meiyintang Collection, vol. 1 Annexe, Hong Kong, 2013, pp. 116-17, no. 69, as well as on a pair of jue in the Shanghai Museum illustrated in Yinzhou jinwen jicheng (Compendium of Yin and Zhou Bronze Inscriptions), Beijing, 1984, nos. 8421 and 8422. A jue with an inscription depicting the ding graph oriented above Fu Yi is in the Anyang Museum and is illustrated in Zhongyuan Wenwu, vol. 3, Henan, 1986, p. 119. 

A fangding cast with similar decoration, but of larger size (24.4 cm. high) and with taller, more slender legs, is illustrated in Shang Ritual Bronzes in the National Palace Museum Collection, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1998, pp. 560-3, no. 96. A fangding of comparable size (20.8 cm. high) and decoration is illustrated by R.W. Bagley in Shang Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1987, pp. 472-5, no. 88, and was later sold at Christie’s New York, 25-26 March 2010, lot 1003. Other comparable fangding include the example (22.2 cm. high) sold at Christie’s New York 22 March 2012, lot 1508, and the Shao Fangding (20.7 cm. high), which featured kui dragons forming the horns of the taotie masks in the main band, and pairs of kui dragons in the narrow bands below the mouth rim, sold at Christie’s New York, Power and Prestige: Important Early Chinese Ritual Bronzes from a Distinguished European Collection, 22 March 2019, lot 1506.

Frequently Asked Questions: Late Shang Dynasty Bronze Fangding

Q1: What is a fangding and what was its significance during the late Shang Dynasty (circa 13th-11th century BC)?

A fangding is a rectangular ritual food vessel made of bronze. During the late Shang Dynasty, particularly the Anyang period, these vessels held immense significance for the ruling elite. They symbolized royal power and were used in important ritual ceremonies. The size of a fangding often indicated the status of its owner; massive examples like the Simuwu Fangding were exclusive to the Shang royalty, while more moderately sized fangding were used by high-ranking aristocrats. Their presence in burials and ritual contexts underscores their crucial role in the religious and political life of the Shang Dynasty.

Q2: What are the key features of the fangding described in the source?

The fangding in question is a bronze rectangular ritual food vessel dating to the late Shang Dynasty, Anyang period (13th-11th century BC). It stands 8 inches (20.3 cm) high and is noted for its powerful proportions and fine casting, demonstrating the advanced bronze design and casting techniques of the time. One of its interior walls bears a cast inscription of two characters, "父乙" (Fu Yi or Father Yi), followed by a graphic representation of a ding vessel. This inscription links it to other known bronze artifacts with similar inscriptions.

Q3: What is the meaning of the inscription "父乙鼎" (Fu Yi Ding) found on this fangding?

The inscription "父乙鼎" (Fu Yi Ding) translates to "Father Yi, ding." "父乙" (Fu Yi) is generally interpreted as a posthumous temple name or honorific title for a deceased ancestor, in this case, likely a significant male figure referred to as Father Yi. The character "鼎" (ding) following the name is a graphic representation of a ding vessel itself. The inscription likely served to dedicate the vessel to the ancestor Father Yi, indicating its use in ancestral rituals and offerings. The presence of the same inscription on other bronze objects suggests a possible lineage, clan, or individual associated with this dedication.

Q4: How does this fangding compare to other known Shang Dynasty bronze fangding vessels?

This fangding, at 20.3 cm high, falls into the category of moderately sized vessels, suitable for high-ranking aristocrats rather than royalty. The source mentions several comparable examples, including one in the National Palace Museum with similar decoration but larger size (24.4 cm), another of comparable size and decoration previously in the Sackler Collection (20.8 cm), and others sold at Christie's in recent years (22.2 cm and 20.7 cm). These comparisons highlight the variations in size and decorative motifs among fangding used by different levels of the Shang elite, while also demonstrating commonalities in their form and purpose.

Q5: What can the provenance and exhibition history of this fangding tell us about its journey through time?

The provenance of this fangding traces its documented history back to Gisèle Croës in Brussels by 1999. It was subsequently featured in her publication, "Ritual food vessels in early China: selected objects," and exhibited at the New York International Asian Art Fair in March 1999. This record of ownership, publication, and exhibition provides a glimpse into its modern history, indicating its recognition and appreciation within the art market and scholarly community. The fact that it was part of a collection and displayed at an international fair suggests its significance and value as an example of Shang Dynasty bronze art.

Q6: How does the Simuwu Fangding relate to this, and other, fangding vessels?

The Simuwu Fangding is mentioned as the largest extant Shang bronze ritual vessel, standing at an impressive 133 cm high and weighing 875 kg. Its massive size signifies that it was exclusively made for Shang royalty. While this fangding is of a much smaller, "regular" size, the Simuwu Fangding serves as a crucial point of reference, illustrating the hierarchy in the use of these vessels. The existence of both the colossal royal fangding and the more accessible aristocratic fangding underscores the social stratification and the symbolic importance of these bronze vessels within the Shang Dynasty.

Q7: What does the fine casting and decoration of this fangding reveal about the technology and artistry of the late Shang Dynasty?

The description of this fangding as having "powerful proportions and fine casting" highlights the sophisticated level of bronze technology and artistic skill achieved during the late Shang Dynasty in Anyang. The ability to create such intricate and well-formed vessels, including the casting of inscriptions within them, demonstrates a mastery of metallurgy and mold-making techniques. The mention of comparable fangding with similar decoration suggests the existence of established artistic styles and workshops producing these ritual objects, reflecting a highly developed craft industry.

Q8: Beyond its artistic and material value, what makes this fangding important for understanding the Shang Dynasty?

This fangding, like other Shang Dynasty bronze ritual vessels, provides invaluable insights into the religious beliefs, social structure, and political organization of the Shang Dynasty. Its function as a ritual food vessel connects it to ancestral veneration, a central aspect of Shang religious practices. The inscription provides genealogical information and highlights the importance of lineage. Furthermore, its quality and size reflect the social status and power of its owner, reinforcing the hierarchical nature of Shang society. As an artifact of advanced bronze technology and artistic expression, it also demonstrates the cultural and technological achievements of this early Chinese civilization.