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Architectural Fitting (Gong)

A work made of bronze.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of bronze.

Date:

Eastern Zhou dynasty, Spring and Autumn period (770–481 B.C.), 7th century B.C.

Artist:

China, Qishan county, Shaanxi province

About this artwork

This is one of sixteen hollow bronze fittings in the museum’s collection that together comprise rectangular, L-shaped, and cylindrical pieces. In 1973, fittings of similar shape and design were excavated from the site of a palace of the 7th century B.C. in modern-day Fengxiang, Shaanxi province in north China. Most show tightly interlaced surface patterns like those cast in this piece. Archaeologists have conjectured that these fittings, some of which preserve traces of wood, originally served as collars and sleeves that had been socketed over a framework of timber columns and tie beams embedded into the earthen walls. Some of these pieces may originally have been stuffed with silk to tighten them.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Arts of Asia

Title

Architectural Fitting (Gong)

Place

China (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 770 BCE–481 BCE

Medium

Bronze

Credit Line

Lucy Maud Buckingham Collection

Reference Number

1924.228k

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/228602/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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