Fitting in the form of an animal, possibly a tapir

1. Quadruped
China, Shanxi Province
Eastern Zhou dynasty, ca. 500 B.C.
Bronze 40.23

Compared to the bronze tigers of the ninth century B.C. displayed in this room, this quadruped was crafted with considerable detail, especially in the modeling of the animal's face, its short, hoofed legs, and its scaled rotund body. Despite the clear features, the identity of the animal remains obscure, as does the precise function of the bronze figure. The collar of cowrie shells, twisted rope bands, striations, and scale patterns suggest that this animal was also produced in the Houma workshops in southern Shanxi Province.

2. Animal (tapir?)
China, Shanxi Province, Houma
Eastern Zhou Dynasty, ca. 500 B.C.
Bronze with cast decoration
Purchase 40.23

3. (Keith Wilson, "Art and Industry: China's Ancient Houma Foundry," October 14, 2017 to Apr 15, 2018, Gallery 18, Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution)

Fitting in the form of a tapir with dragon interlace
Middle Eastern Zhou dynasty, ca. 500–400 BCE
State of Jin, Houma foundry
F1940.23

Party Animals
Formal banquets played an important role in diplomacy during the Zhou dynasty. Large or novel objects were made to impress guests, who had plenty of time to study the attractive pieces on the table.

1923
In March 1923, this curious creature was unearthed with a group of bronzes in Liyu, a town located about two hundred miles north of Houma. Imagine three more of these figures forming the four legs of a container or server. These and other Liyu bronzes generated great excitement in Europe. Art dealers, eager to increase their profits, separated the four legs and sold them to different owners. The four identical legs, made from the same model, are now in museums in London, San Francisco, Kyoto, and here.