Tortoise
Unknown Artist
Medium
Earthenware with green lead glaze
Dimensions
Gr. H. 2 7/8 in. (7.3 cm); Gr. W. 3 in. (7.6 cm); Gr. L. 4 5/8 in. (11.7 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture & Period
China · Han dynasty (206 B.C.–A.D. 220)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Florance Waterbury, in memory of her father, John I. Waterbury, 1968
Accession Number
68.149.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
This charming earthenware tortoise, crafted during China’s Han dynasty (206.C.–A.D. 220), exemplifies the lively animal figures that enriched Han tombs. Made of molded clay and coated with the era’s signature green lead glaze, the small sculpture—roughly the size of a hand—captures the creature’s distinctive domed shell and outstretched limbs with simple yet expressive modeling. Such pieces were created in large numbers to serve as mingqi, or spirit goods, ensuring the deceased enjoyed the comforts and protections of the living world. The green glaze, achieved through the addition of copper t...