Page 50 - Deydier Early Chinese Bronzes

• At the heart of the period between the end of Period III and the
beginning of Period IV of Erlitou, the vessel’s pouring spout becomes
much larger, looking a bit out of proportion to the rest of the vessel.
A very attractive example of this type of jue 爵 is conserved in the
Meiyintang Collection (see photo page 47). The overall effect of the
vessel’s squat legs, thin body and elongated spout lends it an elegance
that once more attests to the exceptional skill of the bronze casters
of the Xia dynasty 夏代.

• During Period IV of Erlitou 二里頭, larger-sized jue 爵 vessels make
their debut. These jue 爵 are characterised by a very long, narrower
pouring spout and three longer and larger triangular legs. These
larger, long-spouted jue 爵 are much rarer. One such example was
exhibited for the first time in 1980 at the Metropolitan Museum of
Art in a grand exhibition of Chinese objects entitled The Great
Bronze Age of China. (See plate number 1 on page 79 of the
exhibition’s accompanying catalogue); another similar large jue 爵,
now conserved in the Meiyintang Collection, was exhibited at the
Guimet Museum in Paris in 2013 and illustrated on page 69 of
Deydier Ch., Initiation aux Bronzes archaiques chinois, Paris 2016.

The casting of such bronze jue 爵 vessels most probably required a
four-part mould. The alloy employed in their production consisted of
92% copper and 7% tin, etc.

Right page: Jue 爵 Meiyintang collection

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