2016.199: Roundel: Bear

Identification and Creation

Object Number

2016.199

Title

Roundel: Bear

Classification

Riding Equipment

Work Type

ornament

Date

300-100 BCE

Period

Han dynasty, Western Han period, 206 BCE-9 CE

Culture

Chinese

Persistent Link

https://hvrd.art/o/352482

Physical Descriptions

Medium

Leaded bronze, mercury gilded

Technique

Cast

Dimensions

3.1 x 3.5 cm (1 1/4 x 1 3/8 in.)

Provenance

Recorded Ownership History

William D. Vogel (H’30), Milwaukee, WI (by 1930-1980), inherited; by Virginia Booth Vogel, Milwaukee, WI (1980-1998), by descent; to Frederick Vogel III, Milwaukee, WI (1998-2016), gift; to The Harvard Art Museums.

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line

Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of Frederick Vogel III in memory of his father, William D. Vogel, H’30

Accession Year

2016

Object Number

2016.199

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Contact

am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu

Permissions

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Descriptions

Description

Horse harness ornament in the shape of a roundel with the depiction of a bear with protruding tongue; the paws are arranged below the frontal head and the animal's muzzle forms the roundel's center. The rounded ears are typical for representations of bears of the Western Han period. The mercury gilding suggests manufacture in China rather than among the tribes to the north, where the bear motif originated. The roundel is framed by a hatched border. It is hollow below and attached to a square, cage-like structure, likley for a harness strap crossing.

Green patina over a brown corrosion layer; significant traces of mercury gilding on the relief.

Verification Level