Bell
Unknown Artist
late 19th century
Medium
Metal
Dimensions
Overall: 24.2 x 11.5cm (9 1/2 x 4 1/2in.)
Classification
Idiophone-Struck-bell-clapper
Culture
Chinese
Department
Musical Instruments
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
Accession Number
89.4.140
Art Historical Context
This elegant late 19th-century Chinese, crafted from metal and measuring 24.2 x 11.5 cm, exemplifies artistry of traditional Chinese musical instruments. Classified as an idiophone—a struck bell with an internal clapper—it produces its resonant tone through the vibration of its solid metal body when the clapper strikes the interior. Such bells were integral to Chinese musical ensembles, rituals, and ceremonies, where their clear, sustaining notes added depth to performances. Though the artist remains unknown, the bell's craftsmanship reflects the refined metalworking techniques of Qing dynast...