Chinese Art History

Map of China

Chronology of Chinese history

Painted Pottery Vessel with Geometric Pattern. Banpo, Yangshao Culture, ca. 5000 BCE

Painted Pottery Vessel with Spiral Pattern. Miaodigou, Yangshao Culture, ca. 4000 BCE

Painted Pottery Vessel with Spiral Pattern. Majiayao Culture, ca. 3300 BCE

Painted Pottery Vessel with Geometric Pattern. Dawenkou Culture, ca. 3000 BCE

White pottery pitcher. Dawenkou Culture, ca. 3000 BCE.

Black pottery cup. Longshan Culture, ca. 4000 BCE

Jade cong tube, Liangzhu Culture, ca. 3000-2500 BCE

Jade Pig-dragon, Hongshan Culture, ca. 4000 BCE

Head. Hongshan Culture, ca. 3500 BCE

Bronze jue-cup from Erlitou, Henan province, late Xia or early Shang dynasty, 1st half of the 2nd millennium BCE.

Square bronze ding vessel decorated with Loher style 1 motifs, early-mid Shang dynasty, mid-2nd millennium BCE.

Bronze jia vessel decorated with Loehr style 2 motifs, early-mid Shang, mid-2nd millennium BCE.

Bronze jia vessel decorated with Loehr style 4 motifs, mid-late Shang, mid-late 2nd mullennium BCE

Square bronze yi vessel decorated with Loehr style 5 motifs, late Shang dynasty, 13th-12th century BCE

Owl-shaped bronze vessel from Fu Hao's tomb, Anyang period, late Shang, c. 13th century BCE

Bronze statue, Sanxingdui culture, Sichuan, late Shang-early Zhou, end of the 2nd millennium BCE.

Bronze guang vessel (flamboyant style), early Western Zhou, 11th-10th century BCE.

Bronze gui vessel (paired-bird motif), mid-Western Zhou, 10th-9th century BCE

Bonze gui vessel with simplified decoration, late Western Zhou, 9th-8th century BCE

Bronze hu vessel with interlaced motifs, late Western Zhou, 9th-8th century BCE

Bronze pan vessel with a long commemorative inscription, late Western Zhou, 9th-8th century BCE.

Bronze ding vessel, early Eastern Zhou, 6^th c. BCE

Bronze hu vessel, early Eastern Zhou, 6^th c. BCE

Bronze zun vessel in shape of the bird, early Eastern Zhou, 6^th c. BCE

Bronze zun and pan set with openwork ornament, mid-Eastern Zhou, 5^th c. BCE

Screen foot with bronze tiger with gold and silver inlays, late Eastern Zhou, 4^th c. BCE

Lamp with bronze figure with silver inlays, late Eastern Zhou, 4^th c. BCE

Bronze hu vessel with abstract silver inlays, late Eastern Zhou, 4^th c. BCE

bronze hu vessel with pictorial copper inlays, mid-Eastern Zhou, 5^th c BCE

Silk funerary banner representing a lady with a phoenix, late Eastern Zhou, 3^rd c. BCE

Silk funerary banner representing a gentleman driving a dragon, late Eastern Zhou, 3^rd c. BCE

Bronze ding vessel with long inscriptions on the exterior face, late Eastern Zhou, 4^th-3^rd c BCE.

Terra-cotta army soldier, Qin, 221-210 BCE

Terra-cotta acrobats, Qin, 221-210 BCE

Miniaturized bronze chariot, Qin, 221-210 BCE

Clay tomb figurines, Western Han, early 2nd c. BCE

Painted lacquer coffin with cloud patterns, Western Han, early 2nd c. BCE

Painted lacquer tripod with cloud patterns, Western Han, early 2nd c. BCE

Inlaid bronze rhino-shaped cup with cloud patterns, Western Han, 2nd c. BCE

Wall painting depicting the god Fuxi, Western Han, 1st c. BCE

Clay tomb figurine depicting a dancing girl, Western Han, early 2nd c. BCE

Clay tomb figurine depicting a musician, Eastern Han, 1st c. CE

Bamboo slips with writing in cursive script, Eastern Han, 1st c. CE  

Nested painted coffins, Mawangdui Tomb 1, Western Han, early 2nd c. BCE

Painted silk banner, Mawangdui Tomb 1, Western Han, early 2nd c. BCE

Painting on the inlaid bronze chariot pole, Western Han, 1st c BCE

Jade suit, Mancheng Tomb 1, Western Han, 113 BCE.

Gilt bronze incense burner, Western Han, 2nd c. BCE

Stone animal guardian, Eastern Han, 1st c. CE.

Homage scene, stone relief from the Wu family shrines, Eastern Han, 2nd c. CE

Jing Ke assassinating the First Emperor scene, stone relief from the Wu family shrines, Eastern Han, 2nd c. CE

"Bright Hall" (Imperial Temple), Western Han, 1st c. BCE

Stone pillar tower, Eastern Han, 1st c. CE