Lidded ritual wine container (you) with birds

Ceremonial covered vessel, of the type yu. Surface of smooth variable olive green to brown patination. Decoration cast in low relief, with bold jutting zoomorphic heads terminating either end of the bail handle. Handle broken and repaired; lip of cover and repeated inside bottom.

Historical period(s)
Early Western Zhou dynasty, ca. early 10th century BCE
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
H x W x D: 22.9 x 22.8 x 15.3 cm (9 x 9 x 6 in)
Geography
China
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1947.12a-d
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Metalwork, Vessel
Type

Ritual vessel: you

Keywords
China, Western Zhou dynasty (ca. 1050 - 771 BCE), wine
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Description

Ceremonial covered vessel, of the type yu. Surface of smooth variable olive green to brown patination. Decoration cast in low relief, with bold jutting zoomorphic heads terminating either end of the bail handle. Handle broken and repaired; lip of cover and repeated inside bottom.

Published References
  • Mary Tregear. Chinese Art. London. pl. 26.
  • Shang Chou chin wen shi ch'eng. Multi-volume, Taipei. cat. 5761.
  • Chin wen tsung chi. Taipei. vol. 7: p. 2851.
  • Masterpieces of Chinese and Japanese Art: Freer Gallery of Art handbook. Washington, 1976. p. 14.
  • Sherman Lee. A History of Far Eastern Art. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1964. p. 42, fig. 31.
  • Caroline Blunden, Mark Elvin. Cultural Atlas of China. New York. p. 61.
  • Dr. John Alexander Pope, Rutherford John Gettens, James Cahill, Noel Barnard. The Freer Chinese Bronzes. Oriental Studies Series, vol. 1, no. 7 Washington. cat. 58, p. 325.
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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