Minneapolis Institute of Art

Lei wine vessel

China

Date

1300–1201 BCE

Medium

Bronze

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Used for holding wine and sometimes water, this piece translates a typical pottery shape into bronze. New technology accommodated precise decorative schemes—thinner vessel walls and more structurally sound knobs, handles, and pendant rings—than was possible in pottery. As bronze artisans continued to perfect their craft, vessels became increasingly elaborate, intricately cast, and varied in form. China, Asia

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