Grave Guardian Beast (Zhenmu Shou)
Warring States period (480–221 BCE), 4th or 3rd century BCE
Medium
Wood with polychrome pigments and lacquer horns
Dimensions
48.9 × 25.5 × 20 cm (19 1/4 × 10 1/16 × 7 7/8 in.)
Classification
wood
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
65914
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Antlered creatures with long, protruding tongues are the most distinctive burial gifts that have been discovered in Chu tombs. "Antler and tongue" figures may have been used in shamanistic rituals or may represent local deities. Typically centered at the head of the coffin, perhaps to protect the deceased from evil, such grotesque images assume a variety of forms with single or double heads. The painted scrollwork on this example is unusually well preserved.
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...