溫斯洛普商代青銅觥（Gong）是一件富含歷史與藝術價值的商代（約公元前 1600–公元前 1050 年）祭祀酒器，現藏於哈佛大學藝術博物館。此器造型獨特，蓋與器身銜接處分別飾有虎首與貓頭鷹的立體紋飾，展現了商代末期開始流行的整體動物造型鑄造技術。
它不僅體現了饕餮紋等商代典型裝飾的風格特徵，更折射出商人對神靈崇拜與禮制文化的高度重視。該件青銅器原為美國收藏家格倫維爾·L·溫斯洛普（Grenville L. Winthrop）舊藏，於 1943 年遺贈福格藝術博物館（Fogg Art Museum）後，成為哈佛大學藝術博物館之重要館藏。
根據古董商 J.J. Lally 的研究，它與著名的「盧博謝茲觥」（Luboshez Gong / Shapiro Gong）為一對，後者曾於 2021 年在紐約佳士得（Christie’s）以 860 萬美元成交，從中可見此類商代青銅禮器在藝術與學術研究領域的重要地位。
The Winthrop Shang Dynasty Bronze Gong is a highly significant ritual wine vessel dating to the Shang period (ca. 1600–1050 BCE), now housed at the Harvard Art Museums. Notable for its imaginative design, the lid and body feature a tiger’s head at the front and an owl’s head at the rear, exemplifying the late Shang trend of casting vessels in complete animal forms. In addition to showcasing the characteristic taotie motif of Shang bronzes, this gong reflects the society’s deep engagement with ritual and spiritual practices. Formerly in the collection of American connoisseur Grenville L. Winthrop, it was bequeathed to the Fogg Art Museum in 1943. According to the antiquities dealer J.J. Lally, this gong forms a pair with the renowned Luboshez (Shapiro) Gong, which sold at Christie’s New York in 2021 for USD 8.6 million—underscoring the scholarly and artistic significance of such Shang ritual bronzes.
雖然在商代同時期並沒有文字記錄能夠直接解釋這些青銅器裝飾的含義，但大量以動物為主題的紋飾，以及鑄造或雕琢成動物形狀的青銅、玉器的出現，都清晰顯示出動物對於商代工匠的重要性。
商代最具代表性的裝飾圖案是動物面具，後世文獻稱之為「饕餮」。這種神祕圖像（可在鄰近展示櫃中的器物上多次看到）並非對任何單一動物的具體描繪，而是融合真實與想像生物特徵的組合：通常包括一對突出的眼睛、角、耳朵與尖牙等元素。
在晚商時期（約公元前14世紀至公元前11世紀），開始出現鑄造成整體動物形態的青銅禮器，這或許是受到了中國南方傳入的獸形青銅器影響。本件展品中所示的**觥（guang）**形酒器就是其中的絕佳範例——它巧妙地在器物前端鑄出老虎的形象，而在背後的提柄部位則是貓頭鷹；牠們的頭部造型出現在器蓋上，而身軀則以較為隱晦的方式融入器身。
根據古董商 J.J. Lally 的研究，這件「溫斯洛普舊藏」的商代青銅觥與著名的「盧博謝茲觥」（Luboshez Gong / Shapiro Gong）為成對器物，後者曾在 2021 年於紐約佳士得（Christie’s）以 860 萬美元成交：
其他商代觥：
SACA學會公眾號2022年溫斯洛普佛像收藏：天龍秘藏，先驅藏家溫斯洛普的低調收藏 - A Private Passion, the Winthrop collection
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盧博謝茲觥 / the Luboshez Gong
溫斯洛普觥，哈佛大學藝術博物館
「觥」── 飾以虎與貓頭鷹的蓋式祭酒器
Shang dynasty, c. 1600–c. 1050 BCEHarvard University Art Museum
Object Number: 1943.52.103
Provenance｜來源
溫斯洛普 Grenville L. Winthrop, New York (by 1943)，遺贈予 Fogg Art Museum，1943 年入藏
Publication History｜出版記錄
Dorothy W. Gillerman, ed., Grenville L. Winthrop: Retrospective for a Collector, exh. cat., Fogg Art Museum (Cambridge, 1969), no. 035, pp. 30-31
Takayasu Higuchi, ed., Chugoku bijutsu, dai 4-kan (Chinese Art in Western Collections vol. 4: Bronze and Jade), Kodansha (Tokyo, 1973), pl. 24
Chen Mengjia, Yin Zhou qingtongqi fenlei tulu (A corpus of Chinese bronzes in American Collections), Kyuko Shoin (Tokyo, 1977), A 651
Yumiko Suefusa, 「殷周青銅器的魅力——四罐形器及其形制與裝飾研究」, 《古美術》(Kobijutsu), No. 55, 1978年3月, 第29-61頁, 編號2
Kristin A. Mortimer and William G. Klingelhofer, Harvard University Art Museums: A Guide to the Collections, Harvard University Art Museums and Abbeville Press (Cambridge and New York, 1986), no. 5, p. 15
Robert W. Bagley, Shang Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, Arthur M. Sackler Foundation and Arthur M. Sackler Museum (Washington, D.C. and Cambridge, Mass., 1987), p. 113, fig. 150; p. 370, fig. 63.2; p. 414, fig. 73.2
James Cuno, Alvin L. Clark, Jr., Ivan Gaskell, and William W. Robinson, Harvard's Art Museums: 100 Years of Collecting, ed. James Cuno, Harvard University Art Museums and Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (Cambridge, MA, 1996), pp. 52-53
Masterpieces of World Art: Fogg Art Museum, Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Busch-Reisinger Museum, 1997
Stephan Wolohojian and Alvin L. Clark, Jr., Harvard Art Museum/Handbook, ed. Stephan Wolohojian, Harvard Art Museum (Cambridge, 2008), p. 3
Daniel Shapiro and Robert D. Mowry, Ancient Chinese Bronzes: a Personal Appreciation, Sylph Editions (London, 2013), pp. 119, 120, fig. 2.
Exhibition History｜展覽記錄
S427: Ancient Chinese Bronzes and Jades, Harvard University Art Museums, Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Cambridge, 1985年10月20日 - 2008年4月30日
Re-View: S228-230 Arts of Asia, Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Cambridge, 2008年5月31日 - 2013年6月1日
32Q: 1740 Early China I, Harvard Art Museums, 2014年11月16日 - 2050年1月1日（預計）
本件商代青銅觥以虎、鷹（貓頭鷹）等猛禽猛獸的造型，生動體現了商代工匠對動物意象的深刻關注，也在造型與紋飾間展現出技藝的高超與對祭祀禮儀的重視。它與著名的盧博謝茲觥成對，至今仍是研究商代青銅藝術的重要範本。
商代青銅觥 常見問題集（FAQ）
1. 問：什麼是「觥（gong）」？它在商代的用途為何？
答：「觥」是商代（約公元前 1600–公元前 1050 年）流行的一種有蓋祭祀酒器，用於宗教祭典與祭祀活動。這類青銅禮器裝飾精緻，顯示了其在商代社會及禮儀中的重要地位。文中所討論的這件觥結合了虎與貓頭鷹的主題，是典型的商代動物紋飾代表作。
2. 問：為什麼在商代青銅器上常見動物圖案？
答：在商代工藝中，動物紋飾扮演著極為重要的角色。雖然並無同時期文字記錄完整闡釋其含義，但大量以動物為題材的裝飾，以及直接塑造為動物形的青銅或玉器，都顯示出動物在當時文化或宗教信仰中的象徵地位。本件觥的設計結合虎與貓頭鷹，即是商代工匠對自然界生物的觀察與精湛詮釋。
3. 問：什麼是「饕餮（taotie）」？它與青銅器有何關聯？
答：「饕餮」是商代青銅器上最具代表性的裝飾紋樣。這種圖案並非單一真實動物，而是融合多種真實或神話動物特徵的組合，常見的特徵包含凸出的雙目、角、耳與利齒等。它是一種神祕的象徵，將真實與想像合而為一；在許多商代青銅器（包括觥）上，都可見到與饕餮相關的造型元素。
4. 問：在商代，觥的形制有什麼演變？
答：在晚商時期，器物設計開始出現整體鑄造成動物形的趨勢。這被認為與中國南方傳入的獸形青銅器有所關聯。本文所述的觥即為一例：它不只是在器物表面裝飾動物紋，而是將虎與貓頭鷹的形象鑄入器物結構之中，器身前方塑造虎首，後方提柄處則作貓頭鷹，並在蓋上呈現牠們的頭部，將身軀巧妙地融入整體造型。
5. 問：文中所述的哈佛大學藝術博物館藏觥有何獨特之處？
答：這件藏於哈佛大學藝術博物館的商代觥，以精湛的工藝展現出虎與貓頭鷹的結合。虎的造型位於器物前端，貓頭鷹則在背面提柄處。牠們的頭部鑄於器蓋之上，而身軀較隱晦地分布於器壁上。此外，此觥與著名的「盧博謝茲觥（Luboshez Gong）」成對，被視為研究商代青銅器的重要範本。
6. 問：這件哈佛藏觥的來源為何？
答：此觥最初由格倫維爾·L·溫斯洛普（Grenville L. Winthrop）收藏，1943 年在其過世後由遺囑贈予福格藝術博物館（Fogg Art Museum），後成為哈佛大學藝術博物館（Harvard University Art Museum）館藏的一部分。
7. 問：哈佛藏「溫斯洛普觥」與「盧博什茲觥」有什麼關係？
答：據古董商 J.J. Lally 的研究，這件「溫斯洛普舊藏」的商代觥與「盧博什茲觥」（又稱「Shapiro Gong」）是一對成套器物。後者於 2021 年在紐約佳士得（Christie’s）拍賣中以 860 萬美元成交，再度凸顯了這類商代青銅器在古董與藝術市場上的重要地位。
8. 問：這件哈佛大學藝術博物館所藏觥曾在哪些展覽或研究中出現？
答：自 1985 年以來，該觥曾多次於哈佛大學藝術博物館舉辦的不同展覽中展出；同時，也被廣泛收錄在多部關於中國青銅藝術的著作與研究論文中。它至今仍陳列於哈佛大學藝術博物館，持續提供研究者與大眾參考與欣賞。
溫斯洛普商代青銅觥的珍貴性，既體現在其高超的鑄造工藝與藝術表現力，更來源於其在商代禮制與動物崇拜文化中所扮演的重要角色。
作為一件虎、鷹（貓頭鷹）形象兼具的祭器，它不僅延續了饕餮紋的傳統意涵，也見證了晚商時期器物由抽象紋飾走向具象動物形塑的技術與審美發展。同時，它與盧博什茲觥成對的背景，更使其成為研究中國古代青銅禮器演進與跨地域交流的重要實證。
'Gong' Covered Ritual Wine Vessel with Tiger and Owl Decor
Shang dynasty, c. 1600-c. 1050 BCE
Harvard University Art Museum
Object Number:1943.52.103
Although there are no contemporaneous records explaining the meaning of the decorations on Shang bronzes, the preponderance of zoomorphic motifs and the emergence of animal-shaped vessels made of bronze or jade are clear indications of the importance of animals in the repertoire of Shang artisans.
The principle Shang motif was the animal mask, referred to in later texts as a taotie. This enigmatic image (seen repeatedly on vessels in the adjacent cases) is not identifiable as any one beast but appears to be a composite of creatures both real and imagined, with two stark eyes, horns, ears, and fangs.
During the late Shang period (14th–11th century BCE), animal-shaped vessels began to be cast, perhaps in response to zoomorphic bronzes introduced from southern China. The guang wine vessel displayed here is a magnificent example — it cleverly incorporates a tiger at the front of the vessel and an owl at the back handle; the animals’ heads are represented on the lid and their more subtly rendered bodies are on the vessel.
According to J.J.Lally, this ex-Winthrop Gong is a pair to the Luboshez Gong (Shapiro Gong) which was sold in Christie’s NY 2021 for $8.6 million USD.
Provenance
Grenville L. Winthrop, New York (by 1943), bequest; to Fogg Art Museum, 1943.
Publication History
Dorothy W. Gillerman, ed., Grenville L. Winthrop: Retrospective for a Collector, exh. cat., Fogg Art Museum (Cambridge, 1969), no. 035, pp. 30-31
Takayasu Higuchi, ed., Chugoku bijutsu, dai 4-kan (Chinese Art in Western Collections vol. 4: Bronze and Jade), Kodansha (Tokyo, Japan, 1973), pl. 24
Chen Mengjia, Yin Zhou qingtongqi fenlei tulu (A corpus of Chinese bronzes in American Collections), Kyuko Shoin (Tokyo, Japan, 1977), A 651
Yumiko Suefusa, "In Shū seidō iki no bi—jikō no kikei to sōshoku" ["Yin and Chou Bronzes with Special Reference to Ssü-kuang Type Receptacles"], Kobijutsu, No. 55, pp. 29-61, March 1978, no. 2
Kristin A. Mortimer and William G. Klingelhofer, Harvard University Art Museums: A Guide to the Collections, Harvard University Art Museums and Abbeville Press (Cambridge and New York, 1986), no. 5, p. 15
Robert W. Bagley, Shang Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, Arthur M. Sackler Foundation and Arthur M. Sackler Museum (Washington, D.C. and Cambridge, Mass., 1987), p. 113, fig. 150; p. 370, fig. 63.2; p. 414, fig. 73.2
James Cuno, Alvin L. Clark, Jr., Ivan Gaskell, and William W. Robinson, Harvard's Art Museums: 100 Years of Collecting, ed. James Cuno, Harvard University Art Museums and Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (Cambridge, MA, 1996), pp. 52-53
Masterpieces of world art : Fogg Art Museum, Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Busch-Reisinger Museum, 1997
Stephan Wolohojian and Alvin L. Clark, Jr., Harvard Art Museum/ Handbook, ed. Stephan Wolohojian, Harvard Art Museum (Cambridge, 2008), p. 3
Daniel Shapiro and Robert D. Mowry, Ancient Chinese Bronzes: a Personal Appreciation, Sylph Editions (London, 2013), pp. 119, 120, fig. 2.
Exhibition History
S427: Ancient Chinese Bronzes and Jades, Harvard University Art Museums, Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Cambridge, 10/20/1985 - 04/30/2008
Re-View: S228-230 Arts of Asia, Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Cambridge, 05/31/2008 - 06/01/2013
32Q: 1740 Early China I, Harvard Art Museums, 11/16/2014 - 01/01/2050
Frequently Asked Questions about the Shang Dynasty Bronze Gong
What is a gong and what was its purpose in the Shang dynasty?
A gong is a type of covered ritual wine vessel that was used during the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–c. 1050 BCE). These vessels played a significant role in ritual ceremonies and were often intricately decorated, reflecting the importance of these ceremonies to Shang society. The specific gong discussed in the source features a tiger and an owl motif.
What is the significance of animal imagery on Shang dynasty bronzes?
Animal motifs were extremely important to Shang artisans. Although no contemporaneous written records fully explain their meanings, the prevalence of animal designs and the creation of vessels in animal forms suggest that animals held a significant symbolic or religious role within the culture. The gong, for instance, combines the tiger and owl in its design, demonstrating the artisans' attention to and skilled representation of these creatures.
What is the "taotie" and how does it relate to the bronzes?
The "taotie" is the primary decorative motif found on many Shang bronzes, including the gong. It is not a depiction of a single real animal but rather a composite of various creatures, often featuring prominent eyes, horns, ears, and fangs. It's seen as an enigmatic image, merging real and mythical elements. The gong includes the taotie and other animal elements.
How did the design of the gong evolve during the Shang dynasty?
During the late Shang period, there was a shift toward casting vessels in complete animal forms, influenced by similar bronzes from southern China. The gong is a good example of this, where the tiger and owl are not just decorative motifs but are integrated into the vessel’s shape and structure—the tiger at the front and the owl at the back handle.
What are the unique features of the specific gong discussed in the source?
The gong at Harvard Art Museum is distinguished by its masterful depiction of a tiger at the front and an owl at the rear handle. The animal heads are on the lid, with their bodies subtly integrated into the vessel's form. This particular gong is also recognized as being part of a pair, with the other being the famous "Luboshez Gong".
What is the provenance of the Harvard gong, and who were its notable owners?
The gong was acquired by Grenville L. Winthrop by 1943, and after his death, was bequeathed to the Fogg Art Museum in the same year. This gong is now part of the collection of the Harvard University Art Museum.
How was this particular gong related to the "Luboshez Gong"?
The Harvard Art Museum's gong, known as the “Winthrop Gong”, has been identified by antique dealer J.J. Lally as a pair with the "Luboshez Gong" (also referred to as the "Shapiro Gong"), which was sold at Christie's auction house in 2021 for $8.6 million USD.
Where has this gong been exhibited and researched?
The Harvard gong has been featured in numerous exhibitions at the Harvard Art Museums since 1985. It has also been documented extensively in art historical publications and studies on Chinese bronzes, as shown in the detailed publication history listed within the text. The object continues to be available for study as part of the Harvard Art Museums collection.
The enduring value of the Winthrop Shang Dynasty Bronze Gong lies not only in its masterful craftsmanship and artistic sophistication but also in its profound connection to the ceremonial and animal-worship traditions of the Shang culture. Featuring the combined imagery of a tiger and an owl, it preserves the legacy of the taotie motif while illustrating the late Shang transition from abstract decoration to more recognizable animal forms. Moreover, its pairing with the Luboshez Gong adds to its scholarly importance, offering vital insights into the evolution of Chinese ritual bronzes and their intercultural influences during the ancient period.
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