Wine Cup, 2nd century BCE
Unknown artist, Chinaexpand_more
Lacquer on wood coreexpand_more
The Ruth Ann Dayton Chinese Room Endowment Fundexpand_more 2005.52.2.1
On View in Gallery 215expand_more
By the middle of the Warring States period (475-221 b.c.), the finest eating utensils made for elegant dining were being made of lacquer. Thinly carved, wooden objects were protected with several coats of lacquer creating a light, durable vessel. Decorated, with geometric and curvilinear designs in black on orange lacquer, this rare cup has survived intact with its quatrefoil-shaped cup stand made of gilt bronze. Known in China as "ear cups", this type of vessel was typically used for drinking wine.
This well-preserved example displays crescent-shaped handles, a style that began in the fourth century b.c. and remained popular throughout the Han dynasty (206 b.c.-220 a.d.). Several gilt bronze cup stands of similar form were discovered in a royal tomb in the vicinity of the mausoleum of the Han emperor Wu Ti (156-87 b.c.), in 1982 in Shensi province.
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Details
- Title
- Wine Cup
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2005.52.2.1
- Curator Approved
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