CHINESE WESTERN ZHOU BROZE RITUAL VESSEL, YOU- XRF

C. 1045 - 771 BC. Western Zhou Dynasty. A beautiful bronze ritual wine vessel with cover, you. The pear-shaped vessel, which is of oval section, is raised on a spreading foot and is cast on each side with a band of dragon scroll formed by two dragons with backward-turned heads and centered by a taotie mask cast in high relief. The swing handle terminates at each end in an animal (dragon?) mask. The cover has a similar dragon band. 'You' is a ritual wine vessel with a lid and a long U-shaped handle. It entered the religious repertoire in the first century of the Anyang period of the late Shang Dynasty and was in use until the middle Western Zhou period. Incorporating techniques from its Shang predecessors, the Western Zhou dynasty culminated with the prior as the Chinese Bronze Age and established a tremendous material culture of bronze works from 2,000 to 771 BCE. The most commonly produced bronzes during the Western Zhou dynasty came in the form of vessels, although other objects included grandiose chariot decorations and fierce weaponry. Very good condition, possible repairs. In order to confirm its authenticity, this piece has undergone X-Ray Fluorescence analysis. The samples collected show the chemical composition to reflect the typical metal contents of the described period, whilst also showing no modern trace elements in the patina. Provenance: From the collection of a London doctor; previously in a Somerset private collection; acquired from a UK estate collection formed in the 1980s. Size: L:280mm / W:210mm ; 2.3kg