A rare grey pottery figure of a pig

HAN DYNASTY

Details

A rare grey pottery figure of a pig
Han Dynasty
Naturalistically modelled as a sow standing four-square on cloven trotters without a base, the head facing forward with pierced snout, the floppy ears slightly lifted, thin wavy tail and the belly modelled with nipples, traces of orange pigment and burial encrustation remaining (chip to tail)
56 cm. long

Lot Essay

Figures of pigs are quite well known among Han Dynasty mingqi. However pigs of this exceptional size are not. A similar smaller version from the Jingguantang Collection was included in the exhibition, Art Treasures from Shanghai and Hong Kong, University of Hong Kong Art Gallery, November 1996 - January 1997, p. 82, no. 14 and sold in our New York Rooms together with a male pig, 18 September 1997, lot 129. A pair of pregnant pottery pigs measuring 44 cm. long were excavated from the attendant pits of the Yanling Mausoleum of the Han Emperor Jingdi and illustrated drawings in Wenwu 1994:6, p. 14, fig. 19.1. An excavated example of smaller size from tomb no. 2 at Hejiashan, Mianyang city is illustrated in Wenwu 1991:3, p. 11, fig. 8.

The result of Oxford Authentification Ltd. thermoluminescence test no. C199j62 is consistent with the dating of this lot.

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