Model of a Two-Story Structure
Eastern Han dynasty, 25–220 CE
Medium
Brick-red earthenware with green lead glaze
Dimensions
51.6 × 33.5 × 11.5 cm (20 5/16 × 13 3/16 × 4 1/2 in.)
Classification
earthenware
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
12013
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Burial models attest to the prevalence of multistoried buildings in early imperial China. This two-story structure, simply constructed of clay slabs, has a tile roof and an openwork balcony supported by brackets. Such realistic details are modified by imaginative "squatting-bear" feet. This model may depict a granary, or it may have been assembled with other clay structures to form a residential compound.
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...