East Asia, China, Han Dynasty, ca. 206 BCE to 220 CE. A charming, large, hollow, mold-made ceramic dog. He stands on dainty paws, with sturdy legs defined by clear musculature. He has a tense, athletic body, a curved tail that lays against his haunches, and a powerful neck. His large ears stand up, his snout points straight out in front him, and his eyes stare straight forward, surrounded by wrinkles and folds. A collar is around his neck. He is the picture of watchfulness and companionship, a faithful dog ready to guard his master's tomb! Size: 17" L x 5" W x 17.15" H (43.2 cm x 12.7 cm x 43.6 cm)

Han Dynasty sculptors recreated various breeds of dogs in their artwork, and this example is a chow dog, who are often shown with collars (and sometimes harnesses) because they were used to pull small sleighs. Similar examples are often coated with a lead-flux glaze that contained copper and/or iron to regulate its color, as this example may once have been.

Tomb figures 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 other animals, musicians, athletes, structures… anything the deceased might need to recreate the world of the living. 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 Rochester, Michigan, USA collection

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#138137

Repaired from multiple large pieces. Repairs are well done and generally difficult to see. Two small chips, one from the top of each ear. Encrusted deposits on much of the surface, but the form is still very clear.