Dimensions: Height 33,5 cm Wide 14,5 cm Depth 14,5 cm
Weight: 2591 grams

The tall gu stands on a spreading foot, rising through a mid-section with square flanges to a trumpet-shaped mouth. The surfaces are richly cast with archaistic motifs: the foot with stylized taotie masks reserved on a leiwen ground, the mid-section with diamond diaper patterns framed by vertical flanges, and the tall neck with elongated cicada motifs and taotie masks in low relief. The rim and flanges show sharp serrated edges, emphasizing the verticality of the vessel. The interior of the foot bears a cast inscription. The bronze has a dark brown patina with areas of green encrustation consistent with age.

The gu was one of the principal bronze ritual vessels of the Shang dynasty, used for the consumption and offering of wine in ancestral rites. Its tall, flaring profile, bold flanges, and archaic decorative scheme embody the Shang aesthetic, combining spiritual significance with martial presence. The cicada motifs, associated with rebirth, further underline the vessel’s ritual role.

Comparable Shang dynasty gu are held in the collections of the Shanghai Museum, the Freer Gallery, and the British Museum.

The inscription seen inside the base may suggest a clan mark or later dedication, a feature sometimes encountered in archaic ritual bronzes.