Artwork preview

Belt Buckle with Animal-Combat Scene

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Rectangular belt buckle with rounded edges. The buckle features a design with a large animal on top and a smaller animal on the bottom. The large animal faces left; it has a long snout and long horns that curl up and back. The horns have a rounded, knobby appearance with 5 lobes on each. The animal's body is smooth with minimal detail; its mouth is open. The smaller animal faces right; it appears to be a quadruped with its front legs extended forward. The two animals appear to interact. The buckle is made of a dark-colored metal with a green patina. The background of the image is purple. The buckle appears to be an old, possibly ancient, piece by artist unknown.

Artwork details

Date:
3rd–2nd century BCE
Medium:
Bronze
Culture:
North China
Dimensions:
599 × 394 px
Museum record:
View original
Palette