Cabinet G: Shelf 1

Mortuary Art from China

Mortuary Art from China Throughout its long history, Chinese culture has continuously shown a special reverence for the deceased; this is rooted in the belief that the dead are still present and are able to influence life on earth. For many centuries, a tomb was considered a lasting home for the body, to be equipped with the same kinds of material goods that provided pleasure and comfort in life. Because buried artifacts are more likely to survive the passage of time, our most vivid and tangible understanding of ancient Chinese life often comes from objects excavated from tombs.

Ceramics have played a central role in tomb furnishings in many historical periods as storage containers for grain and wine and as ming qi, or “spirit goods.” Manufactured exclusively for tombs, ming qi are the miniature clay models of houses, livestock pens, animals, and humans that so delight us today for their charming recreation of village and city life. Ming qi first came into widespread use in the Han dynasty, partly as substitutes for human and animal sacrifices, but also as a reflection of a new, more practical worldview.

Guardian figures demonstrate another interesting aspect of Chinese mortuary culture. It was believed that after death the soul was freed from the body and could roam around the universe without hindrance; since family members did not like the idea of powerful ancestors, particularly those with unsettled grievances, wandering around freely, guardians were posted at the doorways of tombs to keep spirits from getting either out or in.

This tall, red earthenware jar with bulbous body, curved flaring neck, and direct rim with articulation rests on a tall, slightly flared foot ring. Appliqué "bow string" bands wrap around the body and rim, and two animal mask decorations hold rings on opposing sides of the belly. The jar is covered in a dark green lead glaze.
Chinese
Jar
earthenware with lead glaze
18 7/16 in x 13 3/4 in x 13 3/4 in (46.8 cm x 35 cm x 35 cm)
Gift of Domino's Pizza, Inc.
An earthenware figure of a man wears pants and a long coat with tight sleeves and a wide collar belted at the waist. He stands on a square platform with one hand raised. His face has a wide nose, big eyes, and big lips; his hair is pleated down the middle and braided around his head. The coat is colored in amber and green glazes. 
Chinese
Central Asian Groom
earthenware with three color glaze
12 9/16 in x 4 5/8 in x 4 1/4 in (31.9 cm x 11.8 cm x 10.8 cm);12 9/16 in x 4 5/8 in x 4 1/4 in (31.91 cm x 11.8 cm x 10.8 cm);5 1/8 in x 7 1/16 in x 14 1/4 in (13 cm x 18 cm x 36.2 cm)
Transfer from the College of Architecture and Design
A red, four-sided rectangular earthenware structure in the form of a three-bay storehouse with a peaked roof and ridgeline. Post and lintel details from wooden architecture, with double open doors, on four bear-shaped stilts. The model is covered with a green lead glaze, with iridescence and calcification. 
Chinese
Storehouse
earthenware with glaze
13 1/8 in x 14 3/16 in x 6 7/8 in (33.34 cm x 36.04 cm x 17.46 cm)
Museum purchase made possible by the Friends of the Museum of Art
This model of a hulling mill consists of a treadle operated tilted pole connecting to a hammer that crushes the grain, with an operator and storage bins. It sits below a four-posted one-bay structure with a hipped roof with ridge lines, imitating contemporary tiled roofs. The model is covered in a green lead glaze with iridescence and calcification.
Chinese
Model of a hulling mill
earthenware with glaze
7 1/16 in x 10 7/16 in x 6 9/16 in (18 cm x 26.5 cm x 16.6 cm)
Gift of Domino's Pizza, Inc.
This red earthenware model of a well-head is constructed from an upside-down, wheel-thrown bowl with a hole pierced in its base to create the opening for the well. Its wide rim creates the well-head's base, and a flat clay slab forms the framed opening and windlass. It is topped with a small hip and gabled roof pavilion, and a basin and amphora rest on the framing. The model is covered in a green lead glaze, with iridescence and calcification. 
Chinese
Model of a well-head
earthenware with glaze
15 11/16 in x 7 7/8 in x 7 11/16 in (39.8 cm x 20 cm x 19.5 cm)
Gift of Domino's Pizza, Inc.
A red earthenware figure of a Chinese man, standing with hair in a top knot, wearing a long robe over pants, and holding a weapon on a long stick in front of him. The figure is covered in a green lead glaze, with iridescence and calcification.
Chinese
Standing Figure
earthenware with glaze
10 5/8 in x 2 5/8 in x 2 9/16 in (27 cm x 6.6 cm x 6.5 cm);5 1/2 in x 6 5/16 in x 11 7/16 in (14 cm x 16 cm x 29 cm)
Museum purchase made possible by the Mary Kujawski Memorial Fund

0 Comments

0 Tags & 0 Keywords

Tags

Part of 1 Learning Collection

Cabinet A: Shelf 1
<p>Selections from the Bohlen Wood Art Collection ...

Cabinet A: Shelf 2
<p>Selections from the Bohlen Wood Art Collection ...

Cabinet A: Shelf 3
<p>Selections from the Bohlen Wood Art Collection ...

Cabinet B: Shelf 1
<p>Selections from the Bohlen Wood Art Collection ...

Cabinet B: Shelf 2
<p>Selections from the Bohlen Wood Art Collection ...

Cabinet B: Shelf 3
<p>Selections from the Bohlen Wood Art Collection ...

Cabinet C: Shelf 1
<p>Selections from the Bohlen Wood Art Collection ...

Cabinet C: Shelf 2
<p>Selections from the Bohlen Wood Art Collection ...

Cabinet C: Shelf 3
<p>Inkwells </p>

Cabinet D: Shelf 1
<p>Selections from the Bohlen Wood Art Collection ...

Cabinet D: Shelf 2
<p>Inkwells </p>

Cabinet D: Shelf 3
<p>Inkwells </p>

Cabinet E: Shelf 1
<p>Selections from the James Marshall Plumer Collec...

Cabinet E: Shelf 2
<p>Selections from the James Marshall Plumer Collec...

Cabinet E: Shelf 3
<p>Selections from the James Marshall Plumer Collec...

Cabinet F: Shelf 1
<p>Mortuary Art from China </p>

Cabinet F: Shelf 2
<p>Mortuary Art from China</p>

Cabinet F: Shelf 3
<p>Mortuary Art from China</p>

Cabinet G: Shelf 1
<p>Mortuary Art from China</p>

Cabinet G: Shelf 2
<p>Mortuary Art from China</p>

Cabinet G: Shelf 3 
<p>Mortuary Art from China</p>

Cabinet H: Shelf 1
<p>Mortuary Art from China</p>

Cabinet H: Shelf 2
<p>Mortuary Art from China </p>

Cabinet H: Shelf 3
<p>Mortuary Art from China</p>

Cabinet I: Shelf 1
<p>Art of Islam</p>

Cabinet I: Shelf 2
<p>Art of Islam</p>

Cabinet I: Shelf 3
<p>Art of Islam</p>

Cabinet J: Shelf 1
<p>Art of Islam</p>

Cabinet J: Shelf 2
<p>Art of Islam</p>

Cabinet J: Shelf 3
<p>Art of Islam</p>

Cabinet K: Shelf 1
<p>Religious Sculpture from India</p>

Cabinet K: Shelf 2
<p>Religious Sculpture from India</p>

Cabinet K: Shelf 3
<p>Art of Islam</p>

Cabinet L: Shelf 1
<p>Blue-and-White Porcelain and Stoneware</p>

Cabinet L: Shelf 2
<p>Blue-and-White Porcelain and Stoneware</p>

Cabinet L: Shelf 3
<p>Blue-and-White Porcelain and Stoneware</p>

Cabinet M: Shelf 1
<p>Selections from the Dora and William Hunter Coll...

Cabinet M: Shelf 2
<p>Selections from the Dora and William Hunter Coll...

Cabinet M: Shelf 3
<p>Blue-and-White Porcelain and Stoneware</p>

Cabinet N: Shelf 1
<p>Selections from the Margaret Watson Parker Colle...

Cabinet N: Shelf 2
<p>Selections from the Margaret Watson Parker Colle...

Cabinet N: Shelf 3
<p>Celadon Wares in Asia</p>

Cabinet O: Shelf 1
<p>Celadon Wares in Asia</p>

Cabinet O: Shelf 2
<p>Celadon Wares in Asia</p>

Cabinet O: Shelf 3
<p>Celadon Wares in Asia</p>

Cabinet P: Shelf 1
<p>Celadon Wares in Asia</p>

Cabinet P: Shelf 2
<p>Celadon Wares in Asia</p>

Cabinet P: Shelf 3
<p>Celadon Wares in Asia</p>

Cabinet Q: Shelf 1
<p>Selections from the Ellen and Richard Laing Coll...

Cabinet Q: Shelf 2
<p>Selections from the Ellen and Richard Laing Coll...

Cabinet Q: Shelf 3
<p>Selections from the Ellen and Richard Laing Coll...

Cabinet Q: Shelf 4
<p>American Plaster Casts</p>

Cabinet R: Shelf 1
<p>American Plaster Casts</p>

Cabinet R: Shelf 2
<p>Apostle Spoons and American Silver</p>

Cabinet R: Shelf 3
<p>Modernist Glass and American Art Pottery</p>

Cabinet R: Shelf 4
<p>American Plaster Casts</p>

Cabinet S: Shelf 1
<p>American Silver</p>

Cabinet S: Shelf 2
<p>Tiffany Glass</p>

Cabinet S: Shelf 3
<p>American Silver</p>

Cabinet T: Shelf 1
<p>American Art Pottery</p>

Cabinet T: Shelf 2
<p>American Art Pottery</p>

Cabinet T: Shelf 3
<p>Native American Art</p>

Cabinet U: Shelf 1
<p>American Art Pottery</p>

Cabinet U: Shelf 2
<p>American Art Pottery</p>

Cabinet U: Shelf 3
<p>Native American Art</p>

Cabinet V: Shelf 1
<p>The Human Figure in African Art</p>

Cabinet V: Shelf 2
<p>African Miniature Masks</p>

Cabinet V: Shelf 3
<p>African Masks and Masquerades</p>

Cabinet W: Shelf 1
<p>The Head in African Art</p>

Cabinet W: Shelf 2
<p>Selections from the Helmut Stern Collection</p>

Cabinet W: Shelf 3
<p>Selections from the Helmut Stern Collection</p>

Cabinet W: Shelf 4
<p>African Masks and Masquerades</p>

Cabinet X: Shelf 1
<p>Modern Sculpture</p>

Cabinet X: Shelf 2
<p>Modern Sculpture</p>

Cabinet X: Shelf 3
<p>Modern Sculpture</p>

Cabinet X: Shelf 4
<p>Modern Sculpture</p>

Cabinet Y: Shelf 1
<p>Selections from the Fusfeld Art Collection</p>

Cabinet Y: Shelf 2
<p>Contemporary Art</p>

Cabinet Y: Shelf 3
<p>Contemporary Art</p>

Cabinet Y: Shelf 4
<p>Contemporary Art</p>

Rate this Resource

AVG: 0 | Ratings: 0

& Author Notes

Creative Commons by-nc-sa

Last Updated

June 8, 2020 7:28 a.m.

Report


Reporting Policy