Tubular Fitting
-399–-200
- Medium
- Bronze inlaid with gold and silver
- Dimensions
- 12.1 × 4.4 cm (4 3/4 × 1 11/16 in.); Diam.: 4.4 cm (1 11/16 in.)
- Genre
- bronze
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago
Tags
vesselasian artfittingChinese (culture or style)bronzemetal
About
Sumptuously inlaid bronze tubes were designed as fittings for weapons, scepters, and chariots. This bottle-shaped fitting may have formed part of the axel cap for the wheel of a ceremonial chariot. In its remarkable fluency, the inlaid design of volutes and spirals was largely inspired by contemporary lacquer painting.