Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
China, Room 44, The T.T. Tsui Gallery

Lamp

206 BC-AD 9 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The base of this bronze lamp is in the shape of a bowl standing on three legs. From one side of the bowl rises a pipe that looks like a bird with a long curving neck and a wide open mouth. The accessories are a flat dish with a handle and two shutters. The person using the lamp would fill the dish with oil and move the shutters to adjust the direction and brightness of the light. Any soot or smoke would have been conducted through the bird's hollow neck into the bowl. The entire lamp can be dismantled and cleaned.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 5 parts.

  • Lamp
  • Tray
  • Reflector
  • Reflector
  • Lid
Materials and techniques
Cast bronze
Brief description
Met, China, vess/cont/holders

Met, China, vess/cont/holders

Met, China, vess/cont/holders

Met, China, vess/cont/holders

Met, China, vess/cont/holders
Physical description
The base of this bronze lamp is in the shape of a bowl standing on three legs. From one side of the bowl rises a pipe that looks like a bird with a long curving neck and a wide open mouth. The accessories are a flat dish with handle and two shutters. Oil would have been put in the dish, and the shutters are movable to adjust the direction and brightness of the light. Any soot or smoke would have been conducted through the bird's hollow neck into the bowl. The entire vessel can be dismantled and cleaned.
Dimensions
  • Height: 32.5cm
Style
Gallery label
Lamp Western Han dynasty 206 BC-AD 8 Oil would have been placed in the dish. Both dish and shutters are movable to adjust the direction and brightness of the light. Cast bronze Dr W.L. Hildburgh Gift Museum no. M.7-1945(2007)
Credit line
Hildburgh Gift
Summary
The base of this bronze lamp is in the shape of a bowl standing on three legs. From one side of the bowl rises a pipe that looks like a bird with a long curving neck and a wide open mouth. The accessories are a flat dish with a handle and two shutters. The person using the lamp would fill the dish with oil and move the shutters to adjust the direction and brightness of the light. Any soot or smoke would have been conducted through the bird's hollow neck into the bowl. The entire lamp can be dismantled and cleaned.
Collection
Accession number
M.7PART1 to 5-1945

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Record createdDecember 19, 2002
Record URL
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