Cauldron (ding) with birds

(File folder) Smooth bluish green patina, with occasional encrustations of cuprite. Two upright inverted “U” shaped handles opposite each other on lip. Three character inscription inside side.

Historical period(s)
Western Zhou dynasty, late 11th-early 10th century BCE
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
H x Diam: 15.6 × 15.1 cm (6 1/8 × 5 15/16 in)
Geography
China
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1946.4a-b
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Metalwork, Vessel
Type

Ritual vessel: ding

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

(File folder) Smooth bluish green patina, with occasional encrustations of cuprite. Two upright inverted "U" shaped handles opposite each other on lip. Three character inscription inside side.

Inscription(s)

Three character inscription inside

Published References
  • Shang Chou chin wen shi ch'eng. Multi-volume, Taipei. cat. 0515.
  • Bernhard Karlgren. Marginalia on Some Bronze Albums II. no. 32 Stockholm. pl. 30a.
  • Chin wen tsung chi. Taipei. vol. 1: p. 180.
  • Chen Mengjia. Yin Zhou qing tong qi fen lei tu lu [Yin-Chou ch'ing t'ung ch'i fen lei t'u lu]. 2 vols., Dongjing. vol. 2: A 85.
  • Grace Dunham Guest, Archibald Gibson Wenley. Annotated Outlines of the History of Chinese Arts. Washington, 1949. p. 2.
  • Dr. John Alexander Pope, Rutherford John Gettens, James Cahill, Noel Barnard. The Freer Chinese Bronzes. Oriental Studies Series, vol. 1, no. 7 Washington. cat. 33, p. 185.
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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