Wine Vessel: You

COLLECTION NAME:

The AMICA Library

mediaCollectionId

AMICO~1~1

The AMICA Library

Collection

true

AMICA ID:

ASIA.1979.100a-b

amicoid

ASIA.1979.100a-b

AMICA ID

false

AMICA Library Year:

1998

aly

1998

AMICA Library Year

false

Object Type:

Decorative Arts and Utilitarian Objects

oty

Decorative Arts and Utilitarian Objects

Object Type

false

Creator Nationality:

Asian; Far East Asian; Chinese

crc

Asian; Far East Asian; Chinese

Creator Nationality

false

Creator Name-CRT:

Chinese

crt

Chinese

Creator Name-CRT

false

Title:

Wine Vessel: You

otn

Wine Vessel: You

Title

false

View:

Full view

rid

Full view

View

false

Creation Date:

Western Zhou period, c. late 11th century BCE

oct

Western Zhou period, c. late 11th century BCE

Creation Date

false

Creation Start Date:

0

ocs

0

Creation Start Date

false

Creation End Date:

0

oce

0

Creation End Date

false

Materials and Techniques:

Bronze

omd

Bronze

Materials and Techniques

false

Classification Term:

Vessels

clt

Vessels

Classification Term

false

Creation Place:

North China

ocp

North China

Creation Place

false

Dimensions:

H. 14 7/8 in. (37.8 cm) including handle; W. 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm) across flanges

met

H. 14 7/8 in. (37.8 cm) including handle; W. 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm) across flanges

Dimensions

false

AMICA Contributor:

Asia Society

oon

Asia Society

AMICA Contributor

false

Owner Location:

New York, New York, USA

oop

New York, New York, USA

Owner Location

false

ID Number:

1979.100a-b

ooa

1979.100a-b

ID Number

false

Credit Line:

Asia Society: The Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection

ooc

Asia Society: The Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection

Credit Line

false

Rights:

http://www.asiasociety.org

orl

<a href="http://www.asiasociety.org"target="_new">http://www.asiasociety.org</a>

Rights

false

Context:

The description of the Shang (c. 1700-c. 1050 BCE) and Zhou (c. 1050-221 BCE) periods in Chinese history as a Great Bronze Age stems from both the astonishing variety of shapes and motifs found in their ritual vessels and the sheer technical complexity involved in producing them. The Zhou, one of a number of peoples who inhabited parts of northwest China, defeated the Shang and established a capital in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. This early part of the dynasty is known as the Western Zhou (c. 1050-771 BCE).

Bronze vessels were items of luxury and power throughout the entire Zhou period, and changes in the types and decoration of these vessels illustrate the many cultural and political shifts that characterize this long and complicated era of Chinese history. This bronze you vessel was used for storing and serving wine. A three-character inscription was cast into the cover and interior; the first two characters are encased by a symbol known as a yaxing. Fu ding has been suggested as a possible reading of the first two characters; the third remains undeciphered. Traditional taotie (mythic creature) motifs, set against a background of thunderclouds (leiwen), decorate the cover and two registers on the body. The vessel's shape and the band of circles enclosing the main register derive from Shang-period prototypes. The addition of realistic horns to the taotie motif on the lid and lower register transforms this motif into an image resembling an animal, perhaps a buffalo.

An interest in depicting real animals is a recurring feature in the art of the Western Zhou. The elaboration of the flanges along the edges of this vessel into distinct yet abstract forms typifies the slightly baroque quality of decoration that is also associated with the Western Zhou period. The combination of Shang-inspired decoration and Western Zhou innovations help to date this vessel to the earlier part of the period.

cxd

The description of the Shang (c. 1700-c. 1050 BCE) and Zhou (c. 1050-221 BCE) periods in Chinese history as a Great Bronze Age stems from both the astonishing variety of shapes and motifs found in their ritual vessels and the sheer technical complexity involved in producing them. The Zhou, one of a number of peoples who inhabited parts of northwest China, defeated the Shang and established a capital in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. This early part of the dynasty is known as the Western Zhou (c. 1050-771 BCE).Bronze vessels were items of luxury and power throughout the entire Zhou period, and changes in the types and decoration of these vessels illustrate the many cultural and political shifts that characterize this long and complicated era of Chinese history. This bronze you vessel was used for storing and serving wine. A three-character inscription was cast into the cover and interior; the first two characters are encased by a symbol known as a yaxing. Fu ding has been suggested as a possible reading of the first two characters; the third remains undeciphered. Traditional taotie (mythic creature) motifs, set against a background of thunderclouds (leiwen), decorate the cover and two registers on the body. The vessel's shape and the band of circles enclosing the main register derive from Shang-period prototypes. The addition of realistic horns to the taotie motif on the lid and lower register transforms this motif into an image resembling an animal, perhaps a buffalo.An interest in depicting real animals is a recurring feature in the art of the Western Zhou. The elaboration of the flanges along the edges of this vessel into distinct yet abstract forms typifies the slightly baroque quality of decoration that is also associated with the Western Zhou period. The combination of Shang-inspired decoration and Western Zhou innovations help to date this vessel to the earlier part of the period.

Context

false

Related Document Description:

Asia Society. Handbook of the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection. New York: Asia Society, [1981], p. 49.

rdd

Asia Society. Handbook of the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection. New York: Asia Society, [1981], p. 49.

Related Document Description

false

Related Document Description:

Karlgren, Bernhard. 'Some Characteristics of the Yin Art.' Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities 34 (1962), p. 27.

rdd

Karlgren, Bernhard. 'Some Characteristics of the Yin Art.' Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities 34 (1962), p. 27.

Related Document Description

false

Related Document Description:

Lee, Sherman E. Asian Art: Selections from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd. New York: Asia Society, 1970, pp. 48, 49, 71.

rdd

Lee, Sherman E. Asian Art: Selections from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd. New York: Asia Society, 1970, pp. 48, 49, 71.

Related Document Description

false

Related Document Description:

Mizuno, Sei'ichi. In-Shu seidoki to tama (Bronzes and Jades of Ancient China). Tokyo: Nihon Keizai Shinbunsha, 1959, pp. 47-48, 69.

rdd

Mizuno, Sei'ichi. In-Shu seidoki to tama (Bronzes and Jades of Ancient China). Tokyo: Nihon Keizai Shinbunsha, 1959, pp. 47-48, 69.

Related Document Description

false

Related Document Description:

Washburn, Gordon Bailey. 'The John D. Rockefeller III Oriental Collections.' ARTnews 69 (September 1970), p. 39.

rdd

Washburn, Gordon Bailey. 'The John D. Rockefeller III Oriental Collections.' ARTnews 69 (September 1970), p. 39.

Related Document Description

false

Log In Thumbnail Count 50 100 250 Thumbnail Size Small Medium Large Theme Dark White More Settings	Select the category to search in All - Search Catalog Data Catalog Data & text in Documents Search By Date Range Advanced Search
COLLECTIONS All Collections The AMICA Library EXPLORE Browse All Media Groups Presentations External Media Search Browse Facets Workspace CREATE Media Groups Presentations SHARE EMBED PRINT HELP

MEDIA INFORMATION

Wine Vessel: You