Cocoon-Shaped Vessel
Unknown Artist
2nd–early 1st century BCE
Medium
Earthenware with incised decoration and burnishing
Dimensions
H. 10 3/4 in. (27.3 cm); W. 11 1/2 in. (29.3 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture & Period
China · Western Han dynasty (206 B.C.–A.D. 9)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Richard E. Linburn, 1981
Accession Number
1981.466
Art Historical Context
This striking Cocoon-Shaped Vessel, during the Western Han dynasty206 B.C.–A.D. 9), hails from ancient China and exemplifies the period's innovative ceramic artistry. Dating to the 2nd–early 1st century BCE, distinctive ovoid form—measuring 10 3/4 inches high and 11 1/2 inches wide—okes the natural silhouette of a silkworm cocoon, reflecting China's early mastery of silk production and reverence for organic shapes in everyday objects. Made of earthenware, the vessel features incised decoration—fine lines carved into the soft clay before firing—and burnishing, a labor-intensive polishing techn...