Lot 87
China, Northern Song Dynasty, ca. 9601127 CE. An evocative set of 3 painted ceramic tomb bricks or tiles from the Song Dynasty, skillfully molded in relief with the figure of a court attendants or servants. Clad in formal robes and each holding an offering tray. The figures wear a tall headdress and long belted tunic, rendered in red and pale pigments still clearly visible against the buff earthenware surface Each brick would have once formed part of a larger tomb wall tableau, assembled to represent a scene from the deceased's earthly life or to serve them symbolically in the afterlife. The modest modeling, flattened profile, and softly incised garment lines are characteristic of Northern Song funerary aesthetic, which favored a dignified restraint and courtly realism over earlier Han or Tang exuberance. Size of each brick: 12" W x 21.25" H (30.5 cm x 54 cm)
Tomb bricks such as this often lined the burial chambers of elite or high-status individuals, and figures like this one served as guardians, servants, or ritual participants, ensuring abundance and propriety in the spirit world.
Interestingly, each brock clearly shows the handprint of the maker - almost as if a maker's mark. The bricks were formed by hand, taking wet clay and pushing it into a reusable mold.
Provenance: Collection of Y. Kayvan, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired from a Los Angeles, California, USA gallery acquisition dates range from the late 1990s to 2005
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#195110
- Condition: Minor chips to peripheries, some fading of pigment but in overall remarkable condition.
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