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Monster Face: Door Ring Holder (Pushou)
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
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.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineMonster Face: Door Ring Holder (Pushou) (鋪首), 500s. China, Henan province, Northern Dynasties period (386–581 CE). Gilt bronze; overall: 13.6 x 20 cm (5 3/8 x 7 7/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund, 1930.731
