Hu (Jar)
481–221 BCE
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland, United States
The hunting scenes in flat, low relief on this vessel are among the earliest pictorial scenes in Chinese art, dating from the beginning of the Late Zhou period (481–221 BC).
There are six horizontal bands of low relief designs across the body of the vessel. Each is composed of repeating motifs. The short slightly flaring neck has a narrow band of plait pattern, below which is a vivid hunting scene. The hunter holding a long spear and a sword faces off with a feline covered in circle patterns.
The main body of the vessel is decorated with two wide bands of interlacing dragons, separated by a band with another hunting scene. This hunter faces two horned beasts whose rear leg has been pierced by a spear.
The repeating pattern in the lowest band features two long-legged birds and a small fish.
- Title: Hu (Jar)
- Date Created: 481–221 BCE
- Physical Dimensions: Overall: 25.5 cm (10 1/16 in.)
- Provenance: Adolphe Stoclet [1871–1949], Palais Stoclet, Brussels, Belgium, (J. E. Eskenazi, Ltd., London, England, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
- Type: Metalwork
- Rights: CC0
- External Link: https://clevelandart.org/art/1975.62
- Medium: bronze
- Fun Fact: On the vessel’s shoulders are applied <em>taotie</em> masks from which stem vertical loops for holding the vessel possibly with a rope.
- Department: Chinese Art
- Culture: China, Eastern Zhou dynasty (770–256 BCE), Warring States period (475–221 BCE)
- Credit Line: Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
- Collection: China - Zhou Dynasty
- Accession Number: 1975.62
Get the app
Explore museums and play with Art Transfer, Pocket Galleries, Art Selfie, and more
You are all set!
Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.