Sancai tomb guardian (one of a pair w/2004/2.132.1) with human face / Artist Unknown, China

Viewer

Actions

file_download Download image 108 x 179 (JPEG) 217 x 359 (JPEG) 435 x 718 (JPEG) 870 x 1437 (JPEG) 1740 x 2874 (JPEG)

About this Item

Record Details

Accession Number
2004/2.132.2
Title
Sancai tomb guardian (one of a pair w/2004/2.132.1) with human face
Artist Nationality
Chinese
Object Creation Date
circa 675-750
Object Creation Place
Asia (continent)
China (nation)
Creation Place 1
Asia (continent)
Creation Place 2
China (nation)
Dimensions
72.5 cm x 23.6 cm x 28.8 cm (28 9/16 in. x 9 5/16 in. x 11 5/16 in.)
Century
7th-8th century
Primary Object Classification
Sculpture
Primary Object Type
funerary sculpture
Secondary Object Classification
Ceramic
Physical Description
Earthenware ceramic figure with tri-color glaze (in amber, cream and green) in the form of a creature with a human face
Subject Matter
Relics from one of the golden eras of Chinese art and culture, these fierce beast figures were always placed in pairs in tombs that often contained numerous ceramic figures of humans, animals, and supernatural creatures. Because of their position near the tomb entrance and their ferocious demeanor, such figures are thought to have been sentinels protecting the deceased from evil spirits.
Developed during the Six Dynasties period (222 - 589), spirit beast pairs always included one figure with a human face and one with a bestial face. Such tomb guardians with canine or feline bodies, seated on their haunches with straight forelegs, also were produced in the Tang dynasty, when ceramic examples commonly were fired with colorful lead-silicate glazes known as sancai or "three-color" glaze.
Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/about/services/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.

Technical Details

Image Size
1740 x 2874
File Size
665 KB
Record
2004/2.132.2
Link to this Item
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-2004-sl-2.132.2/2004_2_132_2.jpg

Rights and Permissions

Portfolios

Manifest
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/manifest/musart:2004-SL-2.132.2:2004_2_132_2.JPG

Cite this Item

View the Help Guide for more information.

Full citation
"Sancai tomb guardian (one of a pair w/2004/2.132.1) with human face; Artist Unknown, China." In the digital collection University of Michigan Museum of Art. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-2004-sl-2.132.2/2004_2_132_2.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed March 28, 2024.
Do you have questions about this content? Need to report a problem? Please contact us.