Description:

East Asia, China, Northern Wei Dynasty, ca. 386 to 535 CE. A cast ceramic tomb figure of a standing man, probably representing a soldier. His body is posed naturalistically, leaning back slightly at the waist with his feet slightly apart, one hand at his waist, and the other held to his stomach. He wears a tunic painted to look brocaded at the top with red and black, as well as a black hat that falls over his ears to rest on his shoulders, which is probably meant to represent armor. Size: 4.4" W x 137.75" H (11.2 cm x 349.9 cm)

Tomb attendants like this one are part of a class of artifacts called mingqi - sometimes known as "spirit utensils" or "vessels for ghosts". They became popular in the Han Dynasty and would persist for several centuries. Alongside figures like this one were musicians, athletes, animals, structures… Even though they were mass produced, mingqi often show a high level of detail and naturalism. These were designed to assist the po, the part of the soul of the deceased that remained underground with the body while the hun, the other part of the soul, ascended.

Provenance: private Texas, USA collection

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#137852

  • Condition: Lower legs have been repaired. Nice pigment remaining.

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August 30, 2018 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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