Minneapolis Institute of Art

Bird, one of a pair

China

Date

7th-6th century BCE

Medium

Bronze

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

It is probable that these birds served as components of another object, such as a vase or a chariot. With their crests, ears, and horns, these are no ordinary birds, but rather magical animals. In their claws they clutch a snakelike beast with two bodies. They are further adorned with incised spirals, their shoulder lines emphasized by large comma shapes in rounded relief. The wings, spread flat, are bordered with striated bands and end in a flourish with double curves at the base of the birds’ breasts. The eyeballs are raised knobs with hollow centers. The bird motif is ubiquitous in Zhou art, suggesting an almost totemic significance. The birds were not only considered living beings but may have acted as intermediaries to help people communicate with the spirit realm. China, Asia

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