404 - (R) A CHINESE BRONZE COVERED DOU RITUAL VESSEL ON STEM, EASTERN ZHOU STYLE, 19TH CENTURY

(R) A CHINESE BRONZE COVERED DOU RITUAL VESSEL ON STEM, EASTERN ZHOU STYLE, 19TH CENTURY Dimensions: Height 25 cm Wide 26 cm Depth 26 cm Weight: 3231 grams A substantial archaistic bronze dou raised on a tall spreading pedestal foot and surmounted by a fitted domed cover. The broad bowl is flanked by projecting animal-form handles, while the cover and body are articulated with relief decoration inspired by ancient Chinese ritual bronzes. The green-brown patina settles into the recesses of the casting and reinforces the deliberately antiquarian character of the vessel. The dou was an ancient ritual food vessel whose elevated bowl and stem gave it a distinctive ceremonial silhouette. Centuries later, archaistic bronzes revived such forms for collectors and scholars who admired the material culture of China's early dynasties. These later works were not simple copies: they reinterpreted ancient shapes through the technical and decorative vocabulary of their own period. This nineteenth-century example has a strong sculptural presence because of the contrast between the high stem, compact covered bowl and projecting handles. Its attraction lies in the conscious dialogue with Eastern Zhou bronze traditions, transformed into a later antiquarian object intended to evoke the authority of the ancient past. For lots marked with (R), a 19% VAT is added to the combined hammer price and commission. This VAT is waived for: - Private buyers outside the EU who officially export the items.- Businesses inside the EU holding a valid VAT number, exporting to their home country. Proper export documentation is required to waive the VAT