Art Institute of Chicago

Pair of Braziers with Eared Cups

China

Date: Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE), 100 BCE–100 CE
Medium: Bronze
Culture: China
Department: Arts of Asia
Institution: Art Institute of Chicago

Eared cups with warming stands were probably used to heat sauces for meat. Each side of these warming stands is cast with one of the Animals of the Four Directions (si shen)—the Green Dragon of the East, the White Tiger of the West, the Black Warrior (tortoise and snake) of the North, and the Red Bird of the South. In Han art, the pervasive appearance of these symbolic animals reflects a desire to center the owner within the favorable influences of the universe.

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