Minneapolis Institute of Art

Gui food vessel

China

Date

11th century BCE

Medium

Bronze

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

This gui demonstrates the inventiveness with which Western Zhou artisans adapted Shang forms. The main body is a standard gui with a deep bowl, while the looped handles on either side of the body are innovatively rendered in the form of an elephant’s head and trunk. Furthermore, the vessel is elevated by a high, square base. On the main body, the flanges form the centerlines of the familiar bodied taotie . On the base it is the same motif except for the central line, here a slight ridge instead of a flange. The handles, which combine a crested elephant head with a bird’s body, are the most remarkable feature of the vessel. The bow displays the wings of a bird in relief, and the projection at the bottom contains the bird’s curled tail and its feet descending almost to rest on the tail. The elephant head has large C-shaped ears, raised trunk, and protruding tusks. China, Asia

The authoritative record is held by Minneapolis Institute of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.