East Asia, China, Ming Dynasty, ca. 1368 to 1644 CE, probably from earlier in the period. A fascinating tableau from a tomb, composed of nine beautifully sculpted and glazed miniature objects. Seven are foodstuffs on platters: a magnificent pig's head, stacks of melons, rolls, and roof-tile-like pastries. The largest object is a sturdy table, which can hold all of these platters, giving an impression of culinary abundance. The ninth item is a large chest with carefully depicted latch and handles. Size of largest item (table): 6" L x 9.8" W x 6.25" H (15.2 cm x 24.9 cm x 15.9 cm)
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 items like these were 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. The practice waxed and waned throughout the intervening dynasties and centuries, with the mingqi making a revival during the Ming Dynasty. Almost any object used in daily life during this time period became tomb decoration, believed to provide comfort as the soul journeyed into the afterlife.
Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection, purchased in Hong Kong in the 1980s
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#141204
Condition
All small components are intact and in beautiful condition. The table is also intact, with some surface cracking on the underside that appears to be from the kiln. Chest has lost a small part of the top and is repaired at the center of the top.