A GOLD FUNERARY MASK WITH INLAID BEADS, LIAO DYNASTY
China, 907-1125. Worked in fine detail and with a powerful expression from extremely thin gold sheet to depict almond-shaped eyes, arched brows, a broad nose and full lips, neatly inlaid with banded agate and limestone beads. The back with thin gold wire sewn along the rim of the mask for attachment to the deceased’s face.


Provenance:
Ex-Collection of The Zelnik István Southeast Asian Gold Museum. Institutional art collection in Belgium, acquired from the above. Dr. István Zelnik, President of the Hungarian South and Southeast Asian Research Institute, is a former high-ranking Hungarian diplomat who spent several decades in Southeast Asia, building the largest known private collection of Asian art in Europe.

Condition:
Old wear, the gold sheet extensively creased and warped, with minor tears, dents, losses and pinprick holes. Overall remarkably well-preserved, commensurate with age, and presenting exceptionally.

Weight: 57.3 g
Dimensions: Height 20.4 cm


Funerary masks
are associated with the burial culture of the Qidan Liao, and many examples made of bronze, silver sheet, or gold such as the present example have been found in tombs of the Liao elite in Inner Mongolia. Two impressive gold funerary masks were discovered in the royal tomb of the Prince and Princess of Chen, dated circa 1018. Similarly made of thin hammered gold sheet, they are supposed to realistically portray some of their owners’ facial features.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 26 March 2010, lot 1292
Price: USD 146,500 or approx.
EUR 187,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare gold funerary mask, Liao dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the identical lmaterial and manner of working the thinly hammered gold sheet. Note the ears, mustache, and incision to the brows as well as the medallion and ‘ribbons’ to the back. Note the closely related size (20.3 cm).




遼代嵌寳金面具

中國, 907-1125年。面具由薄金片捶鏨而成，依據真人樣貌精製，呈淺浮雕狀，面容輪廓清晰，臉龐豐圓，濃眉厚唇，鼻樑高挺，雙目圓睜，風格寫實。整齊地鑲嵌著帶狀瑪瑙和石灰石珠子。面具的背面用細金線縫在面具的邊緣。


來源：
原匈牙利布達佩斯István Zelnik博士 Southeast Asian Gold Museum 收藏。一個比利時藝術收藏機構購於上述美術館。István Zelnik博士是匈牙利 South and Southeast Asian Research Institute東南亞研究所主席，曾是匈牙利高級外交官，他在東南亞工作了幾十年，建立了歐洲最大的亞洲藝術品私人收藏。

品相：
由於磨損，金片出現了嚴重的摺痕和變形，有輕微的裂紋、凹痕、缺損和小孔，整體保存完好。

重量：57.3 克
尺寸：高 20.4 厘米

遼代契丹族建國後，生活方式受到中原地區影響，沿襲唐代制度，貴族普遍重厚葬，使用特別豐厚而考究的裝飾。其中，以金屬面具最具特色， 如果約為1018年陳國公主的面具。這件面具樣貌生動，製作工藝精湛，真實的再現契丹貴族颯爽英姿


拍賣結果比較：

形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2010年3月26日，lot 1292
價格：USD 146,500（相當於今日
EUR 187,000
）
描述：遼代黃金陪葬面具
專家評論：比較相同的材質、鑄造風格。請注意耳朵、鬍鬚，以及眉毛上的切口。 請注意非常相近尺寸 (20.3 釐米)。