Lot 34, Auction 3/19/2026: Three Chinese Ming Glazed Pottery Tomb Attendants

$910.00

In stock

East Asia, China, Ming Dynasty, ca. 1368 to 1644 CE. A finely coordinated group of three Chinese pottery tomb attendant figures, each modeled standing atop an integral base and dressed in flowing robes accented with turquoise-green glaze. Their tall hats and formal attire identify them as court attendants or officials, figures intended to serve the deceased in the afterlife with the same quiet diligence expected in life. Each attendant is rendered with subtle individual variation. The faces differ slightly in expression and tilt of the head, lending the group a sense of human presence rather than rigid uniformity. Their garments fall in long vertical folds, the glazing pooling and thinning across the surface in a way that reveals both the hand of the maker and the passage of centuries. One figure bears visible damage to the top of the hat, a reminder of age and burial rather than later interference. Size of largest: 4″ W x 13.5″ H (10.2 cm x 34.3 cm)

Tomb attendant figures of this type were placed in Ming dynasty burials to populate the eternal household, ensuring status, order, and continuity beyond death. They reflect Confucian ideals of hierarchy and service, translated into ceramic form for funerary use. The restrained palette, formal poses, and balanced proportions speak to the Ming preference for clarity and decorum over the exuberance of earlier periods. Surface wear, pigment loss, and encrustations consistent with long interment are present throughout, reinforcing their archaeological character. As a group, these attendants offer a dignified glimpse into Ming funerary practice, where sculpture, belief, and social structure converge in quietly watchful form.

Condition: All heads are removable. Chipping, nicks, and abrasions throughout as shown, but, otherwise, all three are intact and excellent with good remaining glaze and scattered earthen encrustations.

Provenance: private Colorado, USA collection; textile: ex-private Los Angeles, California, USA collection; ex-major gallery, Beverly Hills, California, USA, primarily acquired between 1985 and 2005

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