The Great Heritages of Chinese Art Illustrative Plates / Some Excellent Representative Works of the Earliest Eras of China ( 5 Sets) 伟大的艺术传统图录

Captions for the First Set

The Contents of this set range from the painted pottery of the Neolithic age to the paintings of the Ch'u people of the last period of the Chou dynasty. Some of these works of art have just come to our knowledge for the first time.

Plate 1. Painted Pottery Unearthed in Kansu Province

Fig. 1 - Fig. 6: Painted Pottery Unearthed in Kansu Province 

We call this period the "Era of Painted Pottery Culture"

Plate 2. Bronze Vessels of the Yin Dynasty

Fig. 7: Yu, Square Vessel of Holding Wine a Loop Cover, a Birdshaped Knob and a Phoenix-and-Orge-mask Pattern

Fig. 8: Huang, Drinking Cup of the Shape of the Elephant's Head with an Orge-mask Pattern

Fig. 9: Chueh, Drinking Cup in the Shape of a Bovine Head with an Orange-mask Pattern

Fig. 10: Yu, Vessel for Holding Wine in the Shape of a Cock

Bronze vessels of the Yin dynasty were unearthed in great quantities. The patterns on the vessels are mainly modelled after the shapes of animals, showing a tendency of moderate complexity.

Plate 3. Stone Sculptures Unearthed in Anyang

Fig. 11: "Owl" in Marble

Fig. 12: "Frog" in Marble

Fig. 13: Big Stone Musical Instrument

Fig. 14: Statue in Marble

It is characteristic of the statue that it has designs carved on its body.

Plate 4. Bronze Vessels of the Chou Dynasty (I)

Fig. 15: Big Cooking Tripod Made by Yu

Fig. 16: Big Cooking Tripod Made by K'o

These two tripods are massive. The one made by K'o weights 300 catties and the other made by Yu 250 catties

Fig. 17: Hu, Jug Inlaid with Gold and Silver, Unearthed in Chin Village of Loyang, Honan Province

Fig. 18: Tui, Food container Inlaid with Gold and Silver, Unearthed in Chin Village of Loyang, Honan Province

The above two vessels are representatives of the metal works of art unearthed in Chin Village

Plate 5. Bronze Vessels of the Chou Dynasty (II)

Fig. 19: Hu, Pot Carved with Hunting Figures (1)

Fig. 20: Hu, Pot Carved with Hunting Figures (2)

Bronze vessels carved with figures of men and animals originated from the pots with hunting figures popular in the last period of the Chou dynasty

Plate 6. Bronze Vessels of the Chou Dynasty (III)

Fig. 21: Mirror with Hunting Figures, Inlaid with Gold and Silver 

This is one of the most exquisite bronze vessels inlaid with gold and silver unearthed from a royal tomb at Chin Village of Loyang.

Fig. 22: Hsi Tsun, Bovine Pitcher

Height: 31.3 cm; length: 43 cm The pitcher is inlaid with gold and silver. Where it was unearthed is not yet known. 

Plate 7. Bronze Vessels Unearthed in Hsingcheng of Honan Province

Fig. 23: Pot with a Standing Stork

Fig. 24: Lei, Wine Jar with the Pattern of Dragons

Fig. 25: Huang, Cup in the Shape of a Tiger

Plate 8. Bronze Vessels Unearthed in Hunyuan

Fig. 26: Vessel with the Pattern of Dragons

Fig. 27: Vessel in the Shape of a Sheep

Fig. 28: Hsi Tsun, Bovine Pitcher or Ceremonial Vessel

Plate 9. Bronze Basin with the Pattern of the Battle on Land and Water, Unearthed in Chihsien

Fig. 29: Bronze Basin with the Pattern of the Battle on Land and Water

Fig. 30: Copy of the Pattern on the Above Basin

Plate 10. Sword with Patterns of Animals, Inlaid with Gold and Silver

Fig. 31: Sword with Patterns of Animals, Inlaid with Gold and Silver

Plate 11. Wooden Burial Statuettes Unearthed in Changsha, Hunan Province

Fig. 32:Wooden Burial Statuettes Unearthed in Changsha

Fig. 33: Two Heads of Wooden Burial Statuettes Unearthed in Changsha

Plate 12. Painting on Silk of the Last Period of the Chou Dynasty

Fig. 34: Painting on Silk of the Last Period of the Chou Dynasty

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第一件宝物是郑振铎先生所编《伟大的艺术传统图录》，这重量级的宝物一上，直接晃瞎了我的钛合金狗眼。

网上一查，更是让人眼花缭乱，郑振铎先生所编《伟大的艺术传统图像》版本众多，所幸万能的豆友AMU早已列举了此书的大致版本，仙人指路在前，可惜此文没有图片实物，我在此基础上，在网上按图索骥，查到了各种版本的照片，一一补上，以资读者。

郑振铎先生编辑、1951-1952年初版的《伟大的艺术传统图录》（以下简称《图录》），是建国初期有代表性的中国艺术史图录，也是精美的珂罗版印刷品。《图录》按年代分为12辑，分别为古代、两汉三国、两晋南北朝、隋唐五代一、隋唐五代二、宋辽金一、宋辽金二、元代、明代上、明代下、清代上、清代下，收录各时期有代表性的中国艺术品共198件，有珂罗版图版146张，原色图版12张（每辑中有一张原色图版）。

《图录》的内容时间跨度长，收录艺术品多，印制精美，出版后广受欢迎，一版再版。因此，虽出版时期不长，但目前已先后有8个版本，在建国后艺术类图书中是少见的。下面按时间顺序，将各个版本的情况予以简要概述。