Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Ashmolean − Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

The Barlow Collection

A select catalogue of the Barlow collection of Chinese Ceramics, Bronzes and Jades by the University of Sussex (published Sussex, 2006).

The Barlow Collection by the University of Sussex

Publications online: 456 objects

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Ritual wine vessel, or zun, with animal mask decoration

  • loan
  • Literature notes

    The pear-shaped vessel has a trumpet-shaped neck and an outward curved foot. The shoulder is cast with a low-relief band of long-tailed birds confronted around high-relief animal masks. The birds have prominent eyes, long curved beaks, curled crests and elaborate tails stylized into scroll motifs, all on a scrollwork (leiwen) ground. The masks are depicted with eyes, pointed snout, ears and curled horns. The bronze surface is dark brown with asomewhat glossy, dark emerald-green patina in places.
  • Details

    Associated place
    Asia China (north) (place of creation)
    Date
    10th - 9th century BC (1000 - 801 BC)
    Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 1050 - c. 771 BC)
    Material and technique
    bronze
    Dimensions
    16.6 cm (height)
    17.8 cm (diameter)
    Material index
    Technique index
    formed cast
    Object type index
    No. of items
    1
    Credit line
    Lent by the Sir Alan Barlow Collection Trust.
    Accession no.
    LI1301.11
  • Further reading

    University of Sussex, and Arts and Humanities Research Council, The Barlow Collection, supervised by Regina Krahl, Maurice Howard, and Aiden Leeves (Sussex: University of Sussex, 2006), no. B13

Glossary

zun

  • zun

    A Chinese bronze ritual liquid vessel.

Location

    • currently in research collection

Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.

 

Publications online

  • The Barlow Collection by the University of Sussex

    The Barlow Collection

    The pear-shaped vessel has a trumpet-shaped neck and an outward curved foot. The shoulder is cast with a low-relief band of long-tailed birds confronted around high-relief animal masks. The birds have prominent eyes, long curved beaks, curled crests and elaborate tails stylized into scroll motifs, all on a scrollwork (leiwen) ground. The masks are depicted with eyes, pointed snout, ears and curled horns. The bronze surface is dark brown with asomewhat glossy, dark emerald-green patina in places.
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Object information may not accurately reflect the actual contents of the original publication, since our online objects contain current information held in our collections database. Click on 'buy this publication' to purchase printed versions of our online publications, where available, or contact the Jameel Study Centre to arrange access to books on our collections that are now out of print.

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