Important Ancient Chinese figure holding a WINE SKIN, Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644

This interesting figure is one in a group of tomb figures each brandishing a different attribute and represented assistance and comfort to the deceased in the after life. Look for other listings offering the other figures in our collection.

The statues in our collection are dressed in long gowns with long sleeves and tall hats, their hands grasping in this case, a wine skin. They are very interesting in that each is extremely detailed and highly glazed in turquoise, dark cobalt blue, and highlighted in red, white, and black cold painted pigments. Most of the original glazes and colors remain in tact not often found on these works of art. Each figure is representative of an important tomb which deserved highest quality pottery votive representations.

Wine skins:
Since biblical days wineskins were the choice of travelers and local folk because of their light weight and ease of transport. Later, more permanent storage for higher wine volumes necessitated pottery forms.

Figures were placed in tombs to enable and comfort the individual as he or she traveled through the after life.

Hand made and hand glazed, quality figures such as these are infrequently found in wealthy tombs of the elite and wealthy ancient Ming Chinese.

Dimension: nine inches tall

Condition: Superb, all figures are original and intact with finely preserved glazes and pigments.

Provenance: Old European collection originally acquired in Hong Kong 1990s and legally imported into the USA.