Very Large Ancient Chinese Pottery Han Dynasty Figure of a Boar / Pig - 206 BC

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Very Large Ancient Chinese Pottery Han Dynasty Figure of a Boar / Pig - 206 BC:
$2100.00

A very large ancient Chinese Han Dynasty terracotta figure of a boar or pig, dating to approximately 206 BC - 220 AD.

The animal is shownstanding in a somewhatdefensive stance,robustly modelled, with a bristled coat and prominent spinal crest, the tail swept upwards.A seam mark left behind by the mold runs up the back. The facial features are prominent, emphasising the power of this physical animal. There is a sense of monumentality herethat one often encounters in Han dynasty terracotta figures, indeed the animal appears as if it has been chiseled out of stone rather than modeled from soft clay. We can see how the Han sculptor, in search of a style for his art, was strongly influenced by the stone monuments and statueshe saw around him.

From ancient times, the Chinese believed that life after death was similar to life in this world. Therefore, they provided in their tombs the things they would require to maintain the status and style to which they were accustomed. The inclusion of animals within such contexts bear witness to the importance of raising livestock in ancient China. Though the practice of providing model animals was a common one, it is far rarer to encounter figures of this large size. Xunzi, a follower of Confucius wrote that:

\"one adorns the dead as though they were still living, and sends them to the grave with forms symbolic of life.\"

For an example of other Han dynasty animals (dated to the Eastern Han)modelled in the same buff earthenware and with a similar aesthetic, please see:

Baker, J. 1996.Seeking Immortality.p27. Bowers Museum: Santa Ana.

Length: 15 ½inches.

Condition: Excellent, possible very minor restoration to the proper right cheek.Otherwise unrestored.

Provenance:

Ex. US private collection, acquired 1980\'s.

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