Dobrovits Aladár szerk.: Az Iparművészeti Múzeum Évkönyvei 5. (Budapest, 1962)

HOPP FERENC MÚZEUM - MUSÉE FERENC HOPP - Felvinczi Takáts, Zoltán: Some Notes to the Bronzes of the Chinese Collection. I.

Fig. 17. Buddhistic amulet with figures of flying geese. Bronze. China 6 — 7 centuries to them are corresponding to the same ornament from Ordos, known also from a migration period girdle pendant from Martély depicting an offering scene. (Acta Orientalia V. P. I. Fig. 32/34). We have to take in consideration that the masters of the dark ages in Europe were not compelled to join the two motives, ring and zigzag line compositionally on a piece of adornment. They rather needed a suggesting emblematic motive, and they have found it in their old Hunnic home, in Ordos and North China respectively. But with the bequest of Dr. Bozóky the Museum obtained also silver hairpins of the time of the last dynasty. In spite of a difference of about seventeen centuries they prove a living tradition (Fig. 12.). In the penurious pre-war times, possessing sometimes not even the smallest resource in order to augment our collection, Mr. Géza Szabó, then residing in Peking, became a very welcome friend of the Ferenc Hopp Museum. Once, in a package containing presents received from him, we found among Ordos bronzes a piece in classical style, a cover of a tsun, decorated with dragon and scale patterns (Fig. 13.). Each of the dragons, facing its closest neighbour, produced thus a common head of the ogre. All patterns, both the t'ao-t'ie dragons and the scales are engraved in the most precise manner. The object is exquisitely cast. It is a work of high antiquity, not later than Han, rather earlier, but of excellent preservation. In cases as such, one is tempted to raise the question of the origin of the t'ao-t'ie monster anew, starting from several possibilities, whether of that of a sea-monster (Fenollosa) or of a tiger. Our example seems to corroborate the former supposition, the sea-monster theory. A late specimen (Fig. 14.) represents a stylised tiger's head with some anthropomorphic traces. This mutilated yellow bronze clasp brings us down to Sung times and makes us