Wine Vessel (Jia)

A green-patinated bronze wine vessel stands on three tapering legs, with two flared posts rising from its rim and a beast-head loop handle on one side. The body is cast with dense bands of stylized animal masks and spirals in raised relief, typical of Shang ritual bronzes.

Look closer: A small chipped area on the lower legs reveals the pale metal beneath the patina.

Artist

Unknown

Date

c. 1250–1046 BCE

Medium

bronze

Source

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Size

2149 × 3400 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund