Introduction

Ritual and Religious Objects

Objects for Daily Use

Decorative Objects

Exhibition Details

Ritual and Religious Objects

Civil Official North China Tang period (618-907), 8th century Earthenware with multicolored lead glazes and traces of pigment (sancai ware) H. 40 3/4 in. (103.5 cm) Asia Society, New York: Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection, 1979.114

The costume of this figure and his serious expression, which conveys a sense of duty, suggest that this figure is a court official. Like many tomb sculptures produced during the Tang period, the body of this figure was coated with vibrant lead glazes in yellow, white, and green, known as three-color or sancai. The large size of this figure, the subservient position, and the use of a contoured pedestal suggest that this sculpture may have been in the tomb of a member of the court, probably someone of considerable status.