Ritual wine container (you) with dragons, birds, and bovine heads

Object Details

• Description

  Ceremonial vessel with a cover; type yu. Surface: a green patina, with areas of brownish red. Decoration: in relief.

• Provenance

  To 1930

  C. T. Loo & Company, New York to 1930 [1]

  From 1930

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from C. T. Loo & Company, New York in 1930 [2]

  Notes:

  [1] Object file, undated folder sheet note. See also Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List file, Collections Management Office.

  [2] See note 1.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Anyang: China's Ancient City of Kings (February 25, 2023 to April 28, 2024)

  Ancient Chinese Jades and Bronzes (November 20, 2010 to January 3, 2016)

  Chinese Metalwork (May 9, 1993 to March 21, 1997)

  Chinese Art (February 18, 1983 to April 1, 1987)

  Chinese Art (June 15, 1982 to September 24, 1982)

  Chinese Art (March 15, 1982 to June 15, 1982)

  Chinese Art (March 9, 1981 to March 12, 1982)

  Chinese Art (January 1, 1963 to March 6, 1981)

  Special Exhibition—Chinese Bronzes (November 1, 1961 to March 23, 1962)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Art, 1955 (August 26, 1955 to October 25, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1946 (May 7, 1946 to February 25, 1956)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1945 (January 9, 1945 to August 20, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1944 (December 13, 1944 to May 7, 1946)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Metalwork, 1943 (March 22, 1943 to December 13, 1944)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Metalwork (March 14, 1931 to March 22, 1943)

  Untitled Exhibition, Shahnama and Chinese Art (March 24, 1930 to May 5, 1933)

• Previous custodian or owner

  C.T. Loo & Company (1914-1948)

• Origin

  Anyang, probably Henan province, China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

  CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  BCE 1000s

• Name

  C.T. Loo & Company

• Place

  China, Henan province, Anyang

• Topic

  Bronze, Wine and wine making, Art, Animals, Sculpture, Chinese Art, Anyang period, Late Shang dynasty (ca. 1300 - 1050 BCE), Birds, Cicada, Buffaloes, Metal-work

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)