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An earthenware figure of a standing man wearing long, draped robes. His face is plump and his hair sits on top of his head in a round bun.

An earthenware figure of a standing man on a faded grey background. He faces to the right of the viewer. He is colored a mottled white and red color all over. He is wearing long, draped robes that cover his legs and arms. The robes have a belt across his stomach. His feet peek out from under. His right arm is down by his side and his left is bent up so his hand is by his chest. Both small hands are in fists. His face is plump and his hair sits on top of his head in a rounded bun that parts down the center.

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
2003.203
Title
Standing, Plump Male Court Attendant with Pointed Shoes and Informal Headgear, His Clenched Left Hand Raised to His Chest, His Clenched Right Hand at His Side
Classification
Sculpture
Work Type
funerary sculpture
Date
mid 8th century
Places
Creation Place: East Asia, China
Period
Tang dynasty, 618-907
Culture
Chinese
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/146626

Location

Location
Level 1, Room 1600, Early Chinese Art, Arts of Ancient China from the Bronze Age to the Golden Age
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Physical Descriptions

Medium
Molded, reddish buff earthenware with traces of cold-painted pigments over white ground
Dimensions
H. 45 x W. 15.5 x D. 12.8 cm (17 11/16 x 6 1/8 x 5 1/16 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
2003.203
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), pp. 115-116, cat. no. 35

Exhibition History

  • 32Q: 1600 Early China II, Harvard Art Museums, 11/16/2014 - 01/01/2050

Subjects and Contexts

  • Google Art Project

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