Bronze Ritual Dragon Vessel

This early 19th-century bronze vase is reminiscent of the ritual bronzes used by China’s earliest rulers. Reinterpreting a traditional bronze form, this petite six-sided vessel was cast with a rotund, tapered form set atop a footed base. An exquisite example of Chinese bronze work, the vase is decorated with textured, paneled sides and two lobed handles topped by fearsome dragons, symbols of power, rank, and good fortune.