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Ritual vessel (shanzun)

Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong mark and period (1736–95)
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.
This vessel was made as a wine container for a major ceremony at the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Its form is similar to ancient bronzes and is also close to the twelfth-century vessel made for the Song emperor Huizong, displayed in this exhibition. The lid and decorative elements, such as the stylized mountain peaks along the neck and the clouds encircling the belly, owe more to Yuan and Ming motifs than to ancient prototypes.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • 清乾隆　銅禮器山尊
  • Title: Ritual vessel (shanzun)
  • Period: Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong mark and period (1736–95)
  • Culture: China
  • Medium: Copper alloy
  • Dimensions: H. 15 1/16 in. (38.3 cm); W. 8 11/16 in. (22 cm); Diam. of rim 6 7/16 in. (16.4 cm); Wt. 24.3 lb (11 kg)
  • Classification: Metalwork
  • Credit Line: Lent by The Palace Museum
  • Rights and Reproduction: Photograph courtesy of The Palace Museum, Beijing
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art