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Tripod vase

13th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 216
On loan to The Met
This work of art is currently on loan to the museum.
By the thirteenth century, the production of archaistic bronzes had shifted from imperial workshops to regional communities. Local casters gradually moved away from strict adherence to the shape and ornamentation of ancient bronzes. This vase’s unusual three-legged shape has no known archaic precedent. Its animal-mask and dragon motifs are small and decorative without being overpowering.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • 南宋　倣古銅三足瓶　（四川彭州窖藏出土）
  • Title: Tripod vase
  • Period: Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279)
  • Date: 13th century
  • Culture: China
  • Medium: Copper alloy
  • Dimensions: H. 26in. (66 cm); Diam. 14 in. (35.5 cm); Diam. of rim: 5 11/16 in. (14.5 cm); Wt. 26.5 lb (12 kg)
  • Classification: Metalwork
  • Credit Line: Lent by Pengzhou City Museum
  • Rights and Reproduction: Photograph courtesy of Pengzhou City Museum
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art