Farm Shed with Grain Mill
Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 CE)
Medium
Brick-red earthenware with green lead glaze
Dimensions
17.8 × 19.4 × 27.3 cm (7 × 7 5/8 × 10 3/4 in.)
Classification
earthenware
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
51834
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This humble-looking burial model illustrates two notable inventions in engineering and architecture that were in used widely during the Han dynasty. The rotary mill, worked by a pedal-operated hammer, was used to prepare grain for flour. The shed that encloses it has a deeply overhanging tile roof supported by a wood column with projecting bracket arms. This type of bracketing, which transferred the weight of the roof to the column, became an increasingly important feature of later Chinese build...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...