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THBEarly Han Dynasty Terracotta Jester with Drum
Lot 94a
About Seller
Artemis Gallery
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:
$1,400 - $2,100
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Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $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 Gallery
Apr 1, 2021
Set Reminder
2021-04-01 12:00:00
2021-04-01 12:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Odd Unusual Finds | Antiquity to Present Day
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/odd-unusual-finds-antiquity-to-present-day-6742
Ancient, Asian, Pre-Columbian, Ethnographic, American, and everything in-between Wild, weird, strange, interesting - who knows what you'll find. All pieces guaranteed to be as described. Convenient in-house shipping. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Ancient, Asian, Pre-Columbian, Ethnographic, American, and everything in-between Wild, weird, strange, interesting - who knows what you'll find. All pieces guaranteed to be as described. Convenient in-house shipping. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (153)
- Lot Description
East Asia, China, Han Dynasty, ca. 206 BCE to 220 CE. A wonderfully preserved example of a tomb attendant - a court jester-like figure, nude aside from a loose skirt that hangs below his broad belly and does not quite cover the top of his buttocks. He is crouched, holding drumsticks, one in each raised hand. His face is playful, with his tongue sticking out between his lips and his forehead furrowed as if in mirth. Who is this figure? Perhaps he is based on Dongfang Shuo, famous court jester to the Emperor Wu (r. 141 to 87 BCE). Size: 7.05" W x 11.05" H (17.9 cm x 28.1 cm)
Tomb attendants 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 musicians, athletes, animals, structures… 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 Hawaii, USA collection, purchased in Hong Kong in the 1980s
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.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#141256Intact, with nicely preserved features. Orange pigment on surface may not be original and is very fragile.Condition
- Shipping Info
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All shipping is handled in-house for your convenience. Your invoice from Artemis Gallery will include shipping calculation instructions. If in doubt, please inquire BEFORE bidding for estimated shipping costs for individual items.
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