618-907

Tomb Guardian

The achievement of early Chinese ceramics is well exemplified by funerary sculptures from the Tang dynasty, when the cosmopolitan empire enjoyed cultural florescence and technological advancement. The imaginative design of this fantastic creature, with its spread wings, protruding manes, and a fearsome dragon head with horns and flames, make it one of the most recognizable guardian figures of the era. It is further enlivened with the celebrated sancai glaze, which incorporates the colors of green, brown, and cream into mesmerizing patterns.