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A gray earthenware sculpture of a man standing upright. He is wearing a sleeved garment that covers his entire body with his feet poking out and a draped headpiece. His hands are together in front of his chest, hidden by his sleeves.

A gray earthenware sculpture of a man standing upright and facing the viewer on a grey faded background. He is wearing a sleeved garment that covers his entire body with his feet poking out. He wears a knotted fabric around his collar and a rounded headpiece that drapes along and around the sides of his head. His hands are together in front of his chests, hidden by his sleeves. The figure has a thin, black mustache. He is mostly colored pale blue with white coloring along his sleeves, pants, and the edges of his hat.

Gallery Text

After the collapse of the Han dynasty in 220 CE, China entered a long period of disunion in which the north was occupied and at times ruled by ethnic minorities. The custom of producing ceramic tomb sculptures nevertheless carried on throughout this period, reaching its pinnacle in the Tang dynasty (618–907), one of the most peaceful, prosperous, cosmopolitan eras in China’s history. The Tang capital of Chang’an (present-day Xi’an, Shaanxi province) attracted numerous foreign traders, pilgrims, and goods, as the famed overland trade route known as the Silk Road terminated in this city. Large sets of ceramic sculptures representing the horses, camels, and foreign merchants that frequented northern China have been recovered from burials. Tang ceramic funerary retinues were especially elaborate, featuring fierce armored guards, proud court attendants, and aristocratic equestrians engaged in leisurely pursuits—all serving to demonstrate the high status of the tomb occupant. Large monster masks such as the one displayed here have been discovered on the lintels of tomb entrances, presumably as a means to ward off evil.

Identification and Creation

Object Number
2003.189.1
Title
One of Two Standing, Mustachioed Male Figures, Each Wearing a Cape and a Full, Rounded Hat with Protective Neck and Ear Flap, and Each with His Hands Clasped at the Waist and Concealed under His Cape
Classification
Sculpture
Work Type
funerary sculpture
Date
550 - 577
Places
Creation Place: East Asia, China
Period
Northern Qi, 550-577
Culture
Chinese
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/146482

Physical Descriptions

Medium
Molded, gray earthenware with cold-painted pigments
Dimensions
H. 27.5 x W. 8 x D. 7.5 cm (10 13/16 x 3 1/8 x 2 15/16 in.)

Provenance

Recorded Ownership History
Anthony M. Solomon, New York (by 2003), gift; to Harvard University Art Museums, 2003.

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of Anthony M. Solomon
Accession Year
2003
Object Number
2003.189.1
Division
Asian and Mediterranean Art
Contact
am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu
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Publication History

  • Virginia Bower, From Court to Caravan: Chinese Tomb Sculptures from the Collection of Anthony M. Solomon, exh. cat., ed. Robert D. Mowry, Harvard University Art Museums (Cambridge, Mass., 2002), p. 95, cat. no. 21

Subjects and Contexts

  • Google Art Project

Related Works

Verification Level

This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu