Tripod Caldron (Ding)
Western Han dynasty, 206 BCE–9 CE
Medium
Gray earthenware with mold-impressed decoration
Dimensions
23.2 × 27.8 cm (9 1/8 × 10 15/16 in.); Diam.: 27.8 cm (10 15/16 in.)
Classification
earthenware
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
25226
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
During the Han dynasty, economic stability and growth allowed officials and landowners to afford burial goods like aristocratic families could. Clay replicas of costly bronze and lacquer vessels also met the wider demand from middle-income patrons for tomb furnishings. This cauldron, modeled after a common bronze shape, has a lid that depicts a sinuous dragon—a design commonly found on lacquerware.
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...