Images of wild animals predominate in Shang art, in contrast with the art of the ancient Middle East, where agriculture and people are more common. Bronze ... of an elite Chinese man, so that ...

a Chinese art and cultural historian, said: "We cannot underestimate the wealth and sophistication of the late Zhou culture that created such an outstanding bronze vessel. Only men of high status ...

Why the focus on bronze? In the ancient world, few materials offered the advantages of this metal, says Anna A Slaczka, curator of South Asian Art at Rijksmuseum. The alloy (generally 88% copper ...