Cleveland Museum of Art
Monster Face: Door Ring Holder (Pushou)
- Date
- 500s
- Medium
- gilt bronze
- Culture
- China, Henan province, Northern Dynasties period (386–581 CE)
- Department
- Chinese Art
- Institution
- Cleveland Museum of Art
This gilt bronze Door Ring Holder is in the form of a monster head with curving horns, protruding eyes, three-clawed paws, curling beard, and flame-shaped hair. The tongue dangles from the mouth, in which the creature originally grasped a ring. While it had a practical function as a door knocker, the intimidating form could also frighten away both intruders and evil spirits. Three rivet holes (one on the forehead and one by each limb) were used to nail the mask onto a door.
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