Cranes and Serpents 蛇座鳳鳥鼓架
Description
A different style of ritual art developed in the state of Chu in South China. In addition to bronze vessels, lacquered wood artifacts expanded the repertory of ritual implements. This extraordinary sculpture was probably a drum stand for supporting a suspended drum in ritual ceremonies. It is unique among other excavated drum stands of the Chu, which typically show two birds standing on tigers. The theme of the bird stepping on the serpent was common in the Chu visual culture. Yet the slender proportions and seemingly flimsy structure of this particular set raise the question of whether it was utilitarian or mostly served symbolic functions in the tomb. The birds' and serpents' bodies have designs painted in red lacquer and yellow pigment against the black lacquer. Scientific analyses confirm the additional use of a blue or green pigment that has been discolored over time.
Object Information
Date Created:
475–221 BCE
Local ID:
1938.9
Collection:
China - Zhou Dynasty
Provenance:
1934 or later-before 1938: (Mr. Umekichi Asano [1877-1960], Ōsaka, Japan); ?-1938: (Yamanaka and Company, New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art); 1938- The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
Credit Line:
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1938.9
Citation:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1938.9
Dimensions:
Overall: 132.1 x 124.5 cm (52 x 49 in.)
Materials:
Lacquered wood with polychromy
Period:
Warring States Period (475-221 BC)
Classification:
Sculpture
Rights:
Open Access
