Skip to Content
Today Open today 10–11 members | 11–5 public

  • Mon 11–5
  • Tue–Wed Closed
  • Thu 11–8
  • Fri–Sun 11–5
  • The first hour of every day, 10–11 a.m., is reserved for member-only viewing.

Water Ewer (He)

A work made of bronze with copper inlay.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

Image actions

  • A work made of bronze with copper inlay.

Date:

Eastern Zhou dynasty, Warring States period (480–221 B.C.), 4th century B.C.

Artist:

China

About this artwork

Whereas this type of water ewer is found together with wine vessels in tombs of the Shang period, it typically appears with a shallow water basin (pan) in Zhou tombs. This change in burial context suggests a change in function—from a vessel used to dilute wine to one used to pour ablutions. In this imaginative, finely cast example, various creatures assume different parts: bird-men (or men with birdlike headdresses) form the legs; a bird’s head acts as the spout; and on the lid, a small monkey grasps a chain linked to a feline animal whose broadly arched back forms the handle.

Status

On View, Gallery 132

Department

Arts of Asia

Title

Water Ewer (He)

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.

Artist's working dates 399 BCE–300 BCE

Medium

Bronze with copper inlay

Dimensions

25.4 × 21 cm (10 1/8 × 8 1/4 in.); Diam.: 21 cm (8 1/4 in.)

Credit Line

Lucy Maud Buckingham Collection

Reference Number

1930.366

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/5410/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.

Share

Sign up for our enewsletter to receive updates.
Learn more

Image actions

Share

Suggested Terms