西晉 鎏金銅帶板（十件）|Set of Ten Belt Plaques
Unknown Artist
late 3rd–early 4th century
Medium
Gilt bronze
Dimensions
L. (rectangular plaque): 2 in. (5 cm)
Classification
Metalwork
Culture & Period
China · Western Jin dynasty (265–316)
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
1994.605.2a–k
Art Historical Context
This exquisite set of ten gilt bronze belt plaques hails from the Western Jin dynasty (265–316 CE), a brief era of Chinese unification following the chaos of the Three Kingdoms period Crafted in the late 3rd to early 4th, these small rectangular plaques—measuring about 2 inches5 cm) in length—were likely attached to elite belts, symbolizing status and wealth among the aristocracy. Adorning waist of warriors or nobles they reflect the dynasty's metalworking traditions amid political turbulence and cultural exchanges with northern nomadic groups. The plaques' gilt bronze medium showcases advanc...