Tripod Cauldron (Ding)

A squat bronze tripod cauldron with two upright loop handles, three cylindrical legs, and a wide rim. Its belly is cast with bands of taotie masks and stylized scrolling motifs, and the surface is mottled with green patina.

Look closer: Small taotie faces are carved into the lower body between the legs, partly hidden by the patina.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1200–1100 BCE

Medium

bronze

Source

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Size

3400 × 3204 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust