Description:

East Asia, China, Han Dynasty, ca. 206 BCE to 220 CE. A fabulous pair of grayware jars, each presenting a piriform body with a flared rim, all sitting up on a ring-shaped foot. Liberal remains of white-painted decoration adorns the exterior of both vessels. Baluster-shaped vases like these examples are known as the hu and were modelled after bronze vessels of the same name. Hu vases were primarily used for storing liquids such as wine and water, as well as grains and other foodstuffs. They also played a significant role in religious and funerary practices, often included in tombs as grave goods to accompany the deceased in the afterlife, reflecting the Han belief in an afterlife where the deceased would need various provisions. In addition to their ceremonial uses, hu vases were also functional items in households, used for everyday purposes. Size (both the same): 8.5" Diameter x 10.1" H (21.6 cm x 25.7 cm)

Provenance: Vanishing Arts Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA

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#192279

  • Condition: A few small chips to rim of one vase. Both have age-expected surface wear with some abrasions as shown, but are otherwise intact and excellent with liberal remains of painted decoration and rich earthen deposits to interior.

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March 7, 2025 9:00 AM MST
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