Minneapolis Institute of Art

You wine vessel in double-owl shape

China

Date

12th–11th century BCE

Medium

Bronze

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

This covered bronze you, used in rituals to present offerings to ancestors, is formed as two owls set back to back, their large circular eyes and hooked beaks rendered in bold relief. Fine relief and linear patterns define the wings and surrounding surfaces, integrating the owl imagery with abstract ornamental bands typical of Shang bronzes. Owls held symbolic significance in Shang visual culture. China, Asia

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