Square Wine Container (Fangyou)
商方卣
A rare squared-section ritual wine container from the late Shang capital at Anyang. The body is wrapped in bands of crested birds (kuifeng) silhouetted against a dense ground of spiral leiwen — and the perfectly squared profile is itself a technical brag, far harder to cast than the standard rounded shape.
Object Facts
- Period
- Late Shang dynasty, Anyang phase (ca. 1250–1046 BCE)
- Date
- ca. 1250–1046 BCE
- Medium
- Bronze, piece-mould cast
- Dimensions
- H. 26.7 cm; W. 13.4 cm
- Held by
- The Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland, USA - Accession
- 1963.103
Cleveland Museum of Art — John L. Severance Fund
Why it matters
The square fangyou form is among the rarest survivals from Shang ritual bronze production. Most Shang bronzes use the dragon/taotie repertoire; this vessel's bird-only program belongs to a distinct workshop tradition that may be linked to the Shang royal lineage's totemic ancestor cult.
How it travelled
Surfaced on the New York market in the mid-20th century. Cleveland acquired it via the Severance Fund in 1963 — at the height of an Anglo-American Shang-bronze collecting wave that built virtually every Western collection's bronze gallery.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I see Square Wine Container (Fangyou)?+
Square Wine Container (Fangyou) is held by the The Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland, USA. Accession number 1963.103. Online catalogue record: https://clevelandart.org/art/1963.103.
When was Square Wine Container (Fangyou) created?+
Square Wine Container (Fangyou) dates to ca. 1250–1046 BCE, during the Late Shang dynasty, Anyang phase (ca. 1250–1046 BCE).
What is Square Wine Container (Fangyou) made of?+
Square Wine Container (Fangyou) is a ritual wine vessel executed in bronze, piece-mould cast, measuring H. 26.7 cm; W. 13.4 cm.
How did Square Wine Container (Fangyou) end up at the Cleveland Museum?+
Surfaced on the New York market in the mid-20th century. Cleveland acquired it via the Severance Fund in 1963 — at the height of an Anglo-American Shang-bronze collecting wave that built virtually every Western collection's bronze gallery.
Can I reuse the photograph of Square Wine Container (Fangyou)?+
Yes. The Cleveland Museum has released the image under Creative Commons Zero (CC0), so it is free for any use, commercial or non-commercial, with no attribution required (though attribution is appreciated).
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