Jue wine cup / Artist Unknown, China

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Record Details

Accession Number
1974/1.170
Title
Jue wine cup
Medium and Support
cast bronze with green patina
Object Creation Date
circa 1300 BCE - circa 1100 BCE
Object Creation Place
Asia (continent)
China (nation)
Henan (province)
Creation Place 1
Asia (continent)
Creation Place 2
China (nation)
Creation Place 3
Henan (province)
Inscription
Inscription under handle cast in intaglio, probably a clan sign.
Dimensions
19 cm x 16 cm x 9 cm (7 1/2 in. x 6 5/16 in. x 3 9/16 in.)
Century
13th century
Primary Object Classification
Metalwork
Primary Object Type
cup
Secondary Object Classification
Metalwork
Secondary Object Type
vessel
Physical Description
Bronze oval cup with a rounded base supported on three slender legs of triangular cross section; each leg tapers to a point. The vessel has one loop handle attached to the side, a long pouring spout with a U-shaped channel on one side balanced by a pointed tail on the other, and a pair of capped finials rise from the rim. The piece has a rich green patina and minimal surface decoration.
Subject Matter
The “jue” cup was the main drinking utensil during the Bronze Age. It is found in a tomb paired with the “gu” wine container. The earliest known “jue” were cast from multipart piece molds. The form of the vessel is complex, and the lack of symmetry is relatively unusual among ritual bronzes. Unlike other tripod food and wine vessels, the three legs of the “jue” are not evenly spaced around the bottom, instead, the two legs opposite the handle are a little closer together and a little more vertical. To balance the handle visually as well as to support its weight the leg under it is slightly longer and sticks out at more of an angle. How this type of cup was used and the function of the two knobs on the rim is still not clear. The long spout is impractical for drinking.
Rights
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Technical Details

Image Size
949 x 807
File Size
53 KB
Record
1974/1.170
Link to this Item
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1974-sl-1.170/1974_1.170.jpg

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https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/manifest/musart:1974-SL-1.170:1974_1.170.JPG

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"Jue wine cup; Artist Unknown, China." In the digital collection University of Michigan Museum of Art. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1974-sl-1.170/1974_1.170.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed March 29, 2024.
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