Goose-head vessel
3rd-1st century BCE
Description
Compressed spherical vessel surmounted by a long tubular neck that curves downward at the top, terminating into a head of a goose; a circular aperture appears at the highest point behind the head, at the bend of the neck; slightly splayed footring encircles a countersunk base; cast bronze with green patina. Bronze vessels of this form gained currency by the Qin dynasty (late 3rd century BCE) and persisted into the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE).
Dimensions
H. 33 x Diam. 18.3 cm (13 x 7 3/16 in.)
Provenance
[J.J. Lally & Co., New York, November 1999] sold; to Walter C. Sedgwick Foundation, Woodside, CA (1999-2006), partial gift; to Harvard University Art Museums, 2006.
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