This toy is inspired by "zun"a bronze elephant, a vessel used to hold alcohol used in Chinese official rituals at the time of the Shang dynasty. During these ceremonies the monarch paid homage to the sky and the ancestors to ensure harmony in the universe. The elephant shape and the many drawings covering its skin sympbolise the royal power.
Zun Camondo, Shang dynasty, around 2000 B.C.
Musée national des arts asiatiques-Guimet, Paris
