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China

Basin

Western Zhou dynasty ( 1046–771 BC ), 9th/7th century B.C.
Bronze
13.7 × 41.8 cm (5.4 × 16.5 in)

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● On view now — Gallery 131

Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · verified July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

Squatting male and female figures support this basin; dragon-shaped handles bite at its rim. Such sculptural features enliven the silhouettes of late Western Zhou vessels, although their surface decor often reflects less vitality. The simple, ribbonlike bands encircling the basin have been dramatically abstracted from components of earlier monster masks.

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