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THBChinese Han Pottery Warrior Figure w/ Spear & Shield
Lot 72
About Seller
Artemis Fine Arts
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
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Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$4,500 - $6,500
Starting Bid
$2,500
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| $0 | $25 |
| $300 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $20,000 |
About Auction
Live
By Artemis Fine Arts
Mar 20, 2025
Set Reminder
2025-03-20 10:00:00
2025-03-20 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Exceptional Finds | Ancient, Asian, Ethno, Fine Art
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-finds-ancient-asian-ethno-fine-art-18151
Explore a world of classical antiquities and ethnographic masterpieces, with treasures from every corner of the globe. Discover Egyptian relics, Greek and Roman artifacts, Etruscan elegance, Near Eastern wonders, and Asian heritage. Marvel at Pre-Columbian marvels, Native American artistry, African tribal expressions, and Oceanic cultural gems. Spanish Colonial legacies, Russian craftsmanship, and a spectrum of fine and visual arts await, offering a captivating journey through history and artistry, connecting cultures across time. Artemis Fine Arts info@artemisgallery.com
Explore a world of classical antiquities and ethnographic masterpieces, with treasures from every corner of the globe. Discover Egyptian relics, Greek and Roman artifacts, Etruscan elegance, Near Eastern wonders, and Asian heritage. Marvel at Pre-Columbian marvels, Native American artistry, African tribal expressions, and Oceanic cultural gems. Spanish Colonial legacies, Russian craftsmanship, and a spectrum of fine and visual arts await, offering a captivating journey through history and artistry, connecting cultures across time. Artemis Fine Arts info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (267)
- Lot Description
East Asia, China, Han Dynasty, ca. 206 BCE to 220 CE. A dramatic pottery figure of a warrior donning a metal spear in one hand and a shield in the other as he prepares to attack, leaning back on his bent right knee as though about to lunge forward and throw his spear at the viewer. Crowned by a flattened headdress, his face shows an intense expression with huge, bulging eyes, flared nostrils, and upper teeth exposed as he bites his lower lip. Size: 12.9" L x 8.5" W x 21" H (32.8 cm x 21.6 cm x 53.3 cm); 22.5" H (57.2 cm) on included custom stand.
Although dressed as a warrior, scholarly publications on figures similar to this one have argued that it is a sorcerer or shaman used to guard a tomb, dressed as a warrior to fight off evil spirits from the four corners of the grave to protect the deceased. There are numerous variations of shamans from the Han period, many of which have been excavated near Luoyang in Henan Province.
Tomb figures like this one are part of a class of artifacts called mingqi - sometimes known as "spirit utensils" or "vessels for ghosts". They became popular in the Han Dynasty and would persist for several centuries. Alongside figures like this one were other warriors, animals, musicians, athletes, structures... anything the deceased might need to recreate the world of the living. Even though they were mass produced, mingqi of the Han Dynasty often show a high level of detail and naturalism. These were designed to assist the po, the part of the soul of the deceased that remained underground with the body while the hun, the other part of the soul, ascended. Caring for the po seems to have taken on a new level of meaning in the Han period, with more elaborate rituals and tomb construction arising.
Provenance: private Rochester, Michigan, USA collection
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
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#191808Spear and shield are removable from figure. Professionally repaired with restoration and resurfacing over break lines. Age-commensurate surface wear as shown. Otherwise, very nice presentation with rich earthen deposits and liberal remaining white pigment throughout.Condition
- Shipping Info
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