Revolving eye vessel Han Period, (202 B.C. - 220 A.D.).

Revolving eye vessel Han period, 202 BC. - 220 A.D.).
Terracotta, lead color.
Provenance: European private collection.
It shows moderate signs of surface wear, with areas of visible abrasion on the handles and slight mineral encrustation, consistent with long exposure to burial conditions. However, it is in good structural condition, preserving its original shape and main decorative details.
Measurements: 18 x 18 x 14 cm.

The "Revolving Eye Vessel", made in lead-colored terracotta and dated to the Han Period (202 BC - 220 AD), is an exceptional example of the ceremonial ceramic repertoire developed during one of the most emblematic dynasties of Chinese imperial history. With relatively small dimensions (18 × 18 × 14 cm), this piece stands out not only for its formal and technical solidity, but also for the symbolic sophistication of its decoration and volumetric structure. The body of the vessel has a compact globular shape, modeled with great skill and symmetry, with a short neck that opens into a slightly curved and quadrangular rim. The most striking features of the piece are its sturdy handles, which are elegantly integrated into the body, and the double circular reliefs on each side, known as "rotating eyes". This type of decoration - with an optical and almost sculptural effect - is intimately linked to concepts of vigilance, spiritual protection or cyclical energy in the cosmologies of ancient China. The term "revolving eye" refers to the form of concentric circles in high relief that seem to rotate on their axis, and are repeated with subtle variation on each side of the vessel.

These vessels were commonly used in funerary and ritual contexts, which is deduced both by their delicate workmanship and the quality of the finishes, which in this case has a burnished surface that generates a metallic sheen -typical of the treatment received by the elite ceramics of the Han period. The leaden tone, achieved by reductive firing, intensifies the sensation of sobriety and solemnity, evoking materials such as bronze or iron, with which it competed visually in the trousseaus of the deceased.

From a cultural point of view, the Han dynasty marked a key moment in the consolidation of the Chinese imperial identity, and the visual arts reflect that impulse towards stability, symbolic hierarchy and technical refinement. Similar vessels have been found in tombs in northern China, and have parallels in collections such as those of the Shanghai Museum of History or the Musée Cernuschi in Paris, where almost identical examples, also with the characteristic "eyes" in relief, are on display.