Bronze stemmed bowl

A circular bronze bowl, the sides gently rounded and supported on a separately made tall, tapered foot. Traces of turning can clearly be seen on the inside of the foot. The sides of the bowl are completely plain, except for a rounded edge to the inner rim. The centre of the inside of the bowl is convex. The metal is of dark grey tone, with some areas of blue encrustation and hardened earth adhering.

This type of vessel was used by Buddhist monks for rituals. Several examples with slightly deeper bowls were included in the exhibition Tin-bronze of China at the Kuboso Memorial Museum of Art, Izumi, Japan in 1999.[1]

Provenance:
Ben Janssens Oriental Art, February 2007
Private Collection, UK

1. Special Exhibition Tin-Bronze of China, Kuboso Memorial Museum of Art, Izumi, October 10 – November 23, 1999, nos. 24-26, p. 17