Chinese Bronzes: Art and Ritual

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Chinese Bronzes: Art and Ritual

Chinese bronzes are one of the world's major art forms. Few if any other ancient cultures achieved the artistic excellence and technical virtuosity in bronze attained in China. Using a unique casting method involving multiple ceramic section moulds, the Chinese cast vessels, weapons and ornaments of great beauty and elegance. Ritual vessels, used for offerings of food and wine to the ancestors, were covered with patterns of real and mythical beasts. In a comprehensive introductory essay Jessica Rawson considers the extraordinary casting of the bronzes, their functions and the questions they pose. Her account surveys the latest excavations and research in the field. The remainder of the book catalogues over forty of the British Museum's world-famous collection of Chinese bronzes.