Food serving vessel (dui)

China

Not on view

The lid of this food container is embellished with three animals that function as feet when the lid is inverted as a tray. Paired dragons and rolling curls decorate the vessel surface. The cast depressions in the design are filled in with a black pigment made of bone char and lacquer that enhances the contrast between the composition and background. The vessel’s sumptuous decor is characteristic of late Eastern Zhou bronzes, which by this period were seen as symbols of wealth and status rather than simply paraphernalia for solemn rituals.

Food serving vessel (dui), Bronze inlaid with composition of bone black and lacquer, China

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.

Food serving vessel (dui), Bronze inlaid with composition of bone black and lacquer, China
Food serving vessel (dui), Bronze inlaid with composition of bone black and lacquer, China

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.