Ritual vessel (pou) with cover

Ceremonial vessel with a cover, of the type “p’ou.” Rim broken; holes in foot rim and side wall.
Surface: smooth jade-green patina merging into blue, with areas of green and brown incrustation.
Decoration: in relief. Crocketed flanges (some broken). Inscription inside.

Historical period(s)
Shang or Western Zhou dynasty, 12th-11th century BCE
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
H x W: 37.2 x 32.1 cm (14 5/8 x 12 5/8 in)
Geography
China
Credit Line
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1913.30a-b
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Metalwork, Vessel
Type

Ritual vessel: pou

Keywords
bird, casting, China, Shang dynasty (ca. 1600 - ca. 1050 BCE), Western Zhou dynasty (ca. 1050 - 771 BCE)
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Description

Ceremonial vessel with a cover, of the type "p'ou." Rim broken; holes in foot rim and side wall.
Surface: smooth jade-green patina merging into blue, with areas of green and brown incrustation.
Decoration: in relief. Crocketed flanges (some broken). Inscription inside.

Published References
  • Shang Chou chin wen shi ch'eng. Multi-volume, Taipei. cat. 6221.
  • Carl Hentze. Bronzegerat, Kultbauten: Religion im ältesten China der Shang-Zeit. 2 vols., Antwerp. pl. 141.
  • Sueji Umehara. On the Shapes of the Bronze Vessels of Ancient China: An Archaeological Study. Toho Bunka Gakuin kyoto kenkyujo kenkyu hohoku, vol.15 Kyoto. pl. 18, no. 3.
  • Sueji Umehara. Shina kodo seikwa [Selected Relics of Ancient Chinese Bronzes from Collections in Europe and Asia]. 3 vols., Osaka. vol. 2: pl. 129.
  • Carl Whiting Bishop, C. G. Abbot, Ales Hrdlicka. Man from the Farthest Past. Smithsonian scientific series, v. 7 New York. pl. 91.
  • Dr. John Alexander Pope, Rutherford John Gettens, James Cahill, Noel Barnard. The Freer Chinese Bronzes. Oriental Studies Series, vol. 1, no. 7 Washington. cat. 2, p. 27.
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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