Goose-headed Vessel (Zun)
Unknown Artist
Medium
Earthenware
Dimensions
H. 13 11/16 in. (34.8 cm); Diam. 9 5/8 in. (24.4 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
Charlotte C. and John C. Weber Collection, Gift of Charlotte C. and John C. Weber, 1994
Accession Number
1994.605.17
Tags
Art Historical Context
This enchanting Goose-headed Vessel, or *zun*, hails from China's Western Han dynasty (206.C.–A.D. 9), a golden age of imperial innovation and cultural flourishing under the Han emperors. Crafted in earthenware, this ritual wine vessel stands about 13 11/16 inches tall a diameter of 95/8 inches, its form cleverly shaped as a majestic goose head—a playful yet sophisticated zoomorphic design common in ancient Chinese ceramics. Zun vessels like this one were essential for ceremonial libations, often used in ancestral rites or banquets to pour and hold wine, symbolizing harmony between humans and...