Model of Standing Offical
Unknown Artist
Medium
Stoneware
Dimensions
H. 9 1/16 in. (23 cm); W. 2 3/8 in. (6 cm)
Classification
Tomb Pottery
Culture & Period
China · Yuan dynasty (1271–1368)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Charlotte C. and John C. Weber Collection, Gift of Charlotte C. and John C. Weber, 1994
Accession Number
1994.605.66
Tags
Art Historical Context
This charming stoneware model of a official, crafted during China's Yuan dynasty (12711368), stands just over 9 inches tall, capturing the essence of bureaucratic authority in miniature form. Produced as tomb pottery—known as *mingqi*—it was designed to accompany the deceased into the afterlife, serving as loyal attendant or administrator in the spiritual realm. The Yuan era, ruled by the Mongols after their conquest of the Song dynasty, blended Chinese traditions with nomadic influences, yet tomb figurines like this one preserved longstanding funerary customs dating back to the Han dynasty. ...