西周 青銅觚|Ritual Wine Beaker (Gu)
Unknown Artist
late 11th century BCE
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
H. 8 1/4 in. (21 cm); Diam. of rim: 5 in. (12.7 cm); Diam. of foot: 2 13/16 in. (7.1 cm); Wt. 1 lb. (0.5 kg)
Classification
Metalwork
Culture & Period
China · Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 B.C.)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Munsey Fund, 1931
Accession Number
24.72.10
Art Historical Context
Step into the world of ancient China with this elegant bronze ritual wine beaker, or *gu*, crafted during the late 11th century BCE the Western Zhou dynasty (6–771 BCE). at 8¼ inches tall with a flared rim and slender foot, this vessel exemplifies the refined metalwork of its era, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum Art's Asian Art departmentIn the Western Zhou period, bronze vessels like this *gu* were essential for ritual ceremonies, particularly offerings of wine to ancestors and deities. They symbolized power, piety, and social status among the elite, often buried in tombs to accompany t...