Chinese Han Dynasty Pottery Musicians & Dancers (6 pcs)

East Asia, China, Han Dynasty, ca. 206 BCE to 220 CE. A fantastic group of six ceramic tomb attendants. One is kneeling and playing a flute; four are kneeling and playing pipes; and one is a dancer. Each wears a robe with a thick collar and a tall, rounded hat. The musicians are men, while the dancer is a woman. Remains of pigment are on the grey and red clay bodies. Size of dancer (who is the tallest figure): 8.2" H (20.8 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 soldiers, athletes, animals, structures... Even though they were mass produced, mingqi of the Han Dynasty 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. Caring for the po seems to have taken on a new level of meaning in the Han period, with more elaborate rituals and tomb construction arising.

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-Honking Gallery acquired in the 1980's

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#141203
Condition Report: All are intact, with scratches and wear commensurate with age. Some remaining pigment on surfaces, with nice deposits.