The hu (pouring vessel) carries bronze, and bronze was never just a material. It was the medium of ceremony, its weight and ring part of the rite itself.
A hu (pouring vessel) of this kind was cast to be seen in low light, its relief doing the work that paint would do later. The bronze finish keeps the form readable across the centuries.
The Imperial court used bronze to make lineage visible. A hu (pouring vessel) could carry an inscription or a pattern that named the family and the favour that elevated it.
The hu (pouring vessel) is a document in metal. Sinocra keeps it in view with more from The Palace Museum, and the shop carries the craft forward.
Object details
| Name | Five-ring lidded kettle with inlaid red copper elephant pattern (嵌赤铜象纹五环带盖壶) |
|---|---|
| Artefact no. | 新00122599 |
| Technique | Bronze |
| Period | Imperial dynasty |
| Collection | The Palace Museum, Beijing |
| Source | Palace Museum Digital Collection (数字文物库) |
Image © The Palace Museum. View the original in the Palace Museum Digital Collection.