Cylindrical Jar (Lian) with Mountain-shaped Cover and Bear-shaped Feet
China
(Western Han dynasty (206 BCE-8 CE))
Cylindrical Jar (Lian) with Mountain-shaped Cover and Bear-shaped Feet
DateWestern Han dynasty (206 BCE-8 CE)
Mediumreddish earthenware with olive-green lead glaze and molded relief decoration
Dimensionsobject (with lid): 9 1/8 x 7 1/2 in. (diam.)
ClassificationCERAMICS
Credit LineSBMA, Gift of Wright S. Ludington in memory of Charles Henry Ludington
Object number1983.27.24
Subject(s)
- bear
- animal
- tiger
- mountain
- landscape
Collection
- Asian
Sub-Collection(s)
- Chinese
On View
On viewLabel TextThis vessel is often called a "Hill Jar," due to its mountain-shaped cover, a Han invention also found in bronze and ceramic censers. Beliefs in immortality and exotic lands during the Han dynasty inspired these earliest three-dimensional landscapes. In the lower register, mountain peaks undulate with scenes of running animals— a tiger, a spotted beast, a goat and a ram—and two human-like figures, representing immortals, each grasping a long stick. The vigor and animation of the linear design are not only indicative of the vitality of Han society, but also offer early examples of brush paintings which would have served as models for the molded designs.
China
Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 CE)
