Vase in Shape of Archaic Bronze Vessel

Vase in Shape of Archaic Bronze Vessel

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The shape, the two stylized elephant’s heads supporting the rings at the sides, and the decoration carved into the surface allude to the forms and designs found in some of China’s earliest bronze vessels, produced during the Shang (ca. 1600–1050 B.C.) and Zhou (ca. 1050–256 B.C.) dynasties. These early vessels, which were used in court and ancestral rituals, were re-created in porcelain and other media for centuries.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Vase in Shape of Archaic Bronze VesselVase in Shape of Archaic Bronze VesselVase in Shape of Archaic Bronze VesselVase in Shape of Archaic Bronze VesselVase in Shape of Archaic Bronze Vessel

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.