Jar (hu or zhong)
Western Han dynasty (206 B.C.–A.D.9)
Medium
Bronze with gilding
Dimensions
46 × 36 cm (18 1/8 × 14 13/16 in.); Diam.: 37.7 cm (14 13/16 in.)
Classification
vessel
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
34075
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The dragon became prominent during the Han as an auspicious creature associated with imperial authority and with the ever-changing nature of the universe. Since the dragon was endowed with the same dynamic energy that animated clouds and vapors, it was graphically combined with expanding and contracting patterns of great imagination and vitality. Here, dragons with interlaced trunks merge with scrolling "cloud" patterns to create continuous bands of ornament. This fluent decor was incised into t...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...