Introduction
Ritual and Religious Objects
Objects for Daily Use
Decorative Objects
Exhibition
Details |
Ritual and Religious Objects
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Civil Official
North China
Tang period (618-907), 8th century
Earthenware with multicolored lead glazes and traces of pigment (sancai
ware)
H. 40 3/4 in. (103.5 cm)
Asia Society, New York: Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection, 1979.114 |
The costume of this figure and his serious expression, which conveys a sense of duty, suggest that this figure is a court official. Like many tomb sculptures produced during the Tang period, the body of this figure was coated with vibrant lead glazes in yellow, white, and green, known as three-color or sancai. The large size of this figure, the subservient position, and the use of a contoured pedestal suggest that this sculpture may have been in the tomb of a member of the court, probably someone of considerable status.
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