Fangjia wine vessel, 13th-12th century BCE
Chinaexpand_more
Bronzeexpand_more
Bequest of Alfred F. Pillsburyexpand_more 50.46.109
Not on Viewexpand_more
Jia were among the earliest Chinese bronze vessels cast during the Erlitou period (c. 2000–1600 BCE). Archaeological excavations have found more jia and jue (another type of wine cup) than ding cauldrons, which held food. This suggests that people of the Erlitou period emphasized the role of wine in ritual ceremonies. Jia became prevalent during the Shang and early Western Zhou dynasties (c. 1600–977 BCE) and gradually fell out of favor and then disappeared during the late Western Zhou (c. 885–771 BCE). It was fashionable in the late Shang to make square variations on originally round types of vessels—hence, a new type of jia emerged. Known as fangjia, or “squared jia,” it had a quadrangular shape and a rectangular or square cross section. In this example, taotie, composite-animal masks, appear on the largest panel on each side, which also features stylized animals, as is typical of much Shang art.
Details
- Title
- Fangjia wine vessel
- Artist Life
- China
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 50.46.109
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.