17TH-18TH CENTURY

The imposing form of this large jar, which is based on a rare Eastern Zhou (770-256 BC) ritual bronze vessel shape known as a fanglei or "square lei," is exceptionally rare to find in cloisonne enamel. See the pair of late 5^th century BC bronze fanglei of similar form, and with similar thick, circular ring handles on the shoulders, found in the early Warring States tomb of Zenghou Yi (Marquis Yi of the Zeng State), illustrated in Zhongguo qingtongqi quanji (The Complete Collection of Chinese Bronzes), Beijing, 1998, vol. 10, pp. 130-33.