Basin, Western Zhou dynasty ( 1046–771 BC ), 9th/7th century B.C. Bronze, 13.7 × 41.8 cm. Lucy Maud Buckingham Collection, 1929.647 © Art Institute of Chicago 

Squatting male and female figures support this basin; dragon-shaped handles bite at its rim. Such sculptural features enliven the silhouettes of late Western Zhou vessels, although their surface decor often reflects less vitality. The simple, ribbonlike bands encircling the basin have been dramatically abstracted from components of earlier monster masks.