East Asia, China, Ming Dynasty, 1368 to 1644 CE. A quartet of mold-made, terracotta objects, made to represent different types of food and be placed in a tomb. Elite Ming tombs, as had been the Chinese tradition for millennia, included recreations of domestic items in order to aid the deceased in the afterlife. Each of these items has been glazed using the sancai technique, producing a shimmering celadon green color for the bowls that has attained a silvery patina. The food depicted is exotic and represent some ancient delicious dishes, with two tiered items and one conical one whose surface is polka-dotted. The fourth appears to be a round, steamed bun. Emperor Chu Yuan-Chang, founder of the Ming Dynasty, ordered ritual foods to be prepared every day in his court to honor his ancestors, so eating specially prepared meals had religious as well as practical purposes. Size of largest: 1.6" W x 1" H (4.1 cm x 2.5 cm)

Provenance: private Florida, USA collection

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#123248

All are intact, with light surface encrustation and nice remaining pigment. Silvery patina on green surfaces.