Wine Flask (Bian Hu)
Han dynasty (206 B.C.–A.D. 220), 1st century B.C./A.D.
Medium
Bronze with incised decoration
Dimensions
22.5 × 26.3 × 8.3 cm (8 7/8 × 10 3/8 × 3 1/4 in.)
Classification
bronze
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
23497
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This unusual variation of the canteen-shaped container is lightly chiseled with a combination of geometric patterns, birds, and gazelle-like creatures. The distinctive technique and style of surface decoration seen on this vessel associate it with bronzes excavated in far southern China, near modern Vietnam. Under occupation by Han rulers, bronze foundries in this frontier area produced intriguing bronzes in which Chinese styles are blended with those of the native, non-Chinese tribes.
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...