Cup with base

This libation cup, used for wine during ceremonies, is carved from a rhinoceros horn. Beginning in the Tang dynasty, rhino horns were believed to have the power to detect poison and were considered a highly valuable and auspicious medium. The top of this cup mimics the shape of an ancient bronze ritual wine vessel form known as jue, reflecting the fascination with archaism that pervaded Ming and Qing culture. The reference to archaism is reinforced by the animal masks decorating the upper body. Several stylized dragons scale the cup, climbing toward the rim. They are all depicted in lively, sinuous movement, reflecting the typical style of dragon depictions in the late Bronze Age. Lacking the deep religious and spiritual connotations of their original forms on ancient vessels, these dragons represent the auspicious motif common in popular culture at the time. The naturalistic foliage on the base gives them an earthly presence that contrasts with the mysterious, heavenly realm they were originally believed to inhabit.