Panels from a Funerary Couch (Guanchuang)
Northern Wei dynasty (386–535); c. 525
Medium
Limestone
Dimensions
46.5 × 92.5 × 3.5 cm (18 5/16 × 36 7/16 × 1 3/8 in.)
Classification
stone
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
142529
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
These stone panels were originally assembled to enclose the back and short sides of a low, couchlike platform that held a coffin in a tomb. This “funerary couch” was probably supported along the front and back by two long stone slabs, each elevated on rectangular feet. Such a coffin platform may also have been partially enclosed in front by two stones carved to resemble gate towers, making the couch resemble the walled enclosure of a villa or a city. The original order of the Art Institute ston...
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...