Lidded ritual wine container (you) with dragons

Historical period(s)
Western Zhou dynasty, late 11th-early 10th century BCE
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
H x W: 22.2 x 19.7 cm (8 3/4 x 7 3/4 in)
Geography
China
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1960.20a-b
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Metalwork, Vessel
Type

Ritual vessel: you

Keywords
animal, China, inscription, Western Zhou dynasty (ca. 1050 - 771 BCE), wine
Provenance

To 1946
C. H. Yie, to November 1946 [1]

From 1946 to 1960
C. T. Loo & Company, New York, purchased from C. H. Yie in November 1946 [2]

From 1960
Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from C. T. Loo & Company on August 11, 1960 [3]

Notes:

[1] See C. T. Loo's stockcard no. NYL-6/962 / E5009: "Bronze vessel (Yu) Decorated around the foot by a narrow band of abstract motifs, around the edge, a band of back looking dragons and two t'ao t'ieh masks in relief on a spiral background similar band on the cover. Handle terminated by two monster heads and ornated by abstract motifs. Greenish grey patina with rust spots. Inscribed. Early Chou Western," C. T. Loo & Frank Caro Archive, Musée Guimet, Paris, copy in object file. An annotation on the stockcard states that the object was acquired by C. T. Loo from C. H. Yie in November 1946.

[2] See C. T. Loo's stockcard cited in note 1. The bronze was sent from New York to the Freer Gallery by Frank Caro, C. T. Loo & Co. in November 1955, see Archival Vault Card, copy in object file.

[3] See C. T. Loo & Co.'s invoice, approved on August 11, 1960, copy in object file.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

C. H. Yie
C.T. Loo & Company 1914-1948

Published References
  • Chin wen tsung chi. Taipei. vol. 7: p. 3020.
  • Dr. John Alexander Pope, Rutherford John Gettens, James Cahill, Noel Barnard. The Freer Chinese Bronzes. Oriental Studies Series, vol. 1, no. 7 Washington. cat. 54, p. 305.
  • Jessica Rawson. Western Zhou Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections. Ancient Chinese Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, vol. 2 Washington and Cambridge, Massachusetts. p. 499, fig. 68.6.
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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