This low-fired ceramic model of an everyday object is a typical feature of Han dynasty burials, which also included cooking utensils, household articles and domestic and farm animals in addition to examples of architecture.

They were placed in tombs for the benefit of the part of the deceasedÂ’s soul that resided there. The lead glazes applied to burial wares were coloured with either iron for yellow/brown or copper for green, and were not used on functional pieces. Extract of an article in the 2007 Art Fund Review written by Shelagh Vainker.

Provenance

W D Godin.


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