Asian Art History

Slide ID Test 1

High Priest
Limestone h. 7 Mohenjo-daro, Indus Valley Civilization

Nude Male Torso

Red Sandstone h. 3 Harappa, Indus Valley civilization

Storage jar
earthenware h 20 Chanhu-daro, Indus-Valley Civilization (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)

Painted Pottery Vase (Burial Vase) Yangshao Culture c. 4000 BCE

Gu Beaker
Black Pottery (Thin Biscuit) h 6 Weifang Shandong China, Longshan Culture

Control of firing atmosphere reduction

Cong prism
Liangzhu culture Jiangsu, China. Neolithic Period c. 2000 BCE Jade; h 3
Early Shang mask motif

Jar
Amsa-dong Seoul, Korea Comb-Pattern 3000 BCE earthenware; h. 18 diam. 12

Refined Craftsmanship

Vessel
Initial Jomon Hokkaido, Japan c. 8000-5000 BCE 6

Jomon means rope pattern Probably first made inside baskets Design grows out of process

Figurine
Earthenware Middle Jomon Culture, Japan h. 10 (2500-1500 BCE) Playful sensibilities

Vessel
Earthenware; H. 12 Middle Jomon Period, Japan (2500-1500 BCE) This period sees an explosion in ceramic production. The community has moved inland and developed agriculture which has led to rapid development quality ware.

Figurine
Final Jomon, h 12 (Gunma prefecture) (1000-300 BCE)

Guan Jar
ProtoStoneware ( h. 6 dia 8) probably Zhengzhou, Henan, China 16th-15th century BCE

Vessel
Shang Dynasty White Earthenware with impressed decoration; h. 13

 Shang Dynasty Jade L. 1 +

Mythical composite animals, (Exotic animals, probably a Royal Zoo existed)

Tiger Elephant

Finial Scepter
Early Middle Shang dynasty Jade h.3 With masks, Masks emblematic of Shang deities.

Li-he
Shang Dynasty 16th 14th century BCE Ceremonial wine vessel, h. 9 Earliest bronze forms have very thin walls, may relate to undiscovered copper sheet versions.

Yue ax
Late (Anyang) Shang Dynasty h 11 Glutton Mask or Ogre mask, Probably used to decapitate human sacrifices.

 Shang Dynasty Ceremonial food vessel, Bronze h. 24 (Tomb 1004) Anyang Period, Shang Dynasty Square Fang Ding believed to be derived from wooden prototypes Lacquer wooden fragments found suggest wooden prototypes

(Square) Fang Ding

You in Bear form swallowing a man. Shang Dynasty

No precedent for this form Dangers of the hunt? Eclipsing sun? Extremely complex form Ceremonial Wine Vessel No area left undecorated

 Exemplifies Shang use of metamorphosis Tiger Owl and another bird form. (Spoonbill) Three animals fused into one on a complex functional for, high quality design. Intricate relief Squared spiral (Thunder Pattern)

Guang, Anyang Period

Fang ding
Early Zhou Ceremonial food vessel, Bronze (Inscribed with the name of King Cheng)

You
Early Zhou
Ceremonial wine vessel, Bronze h. 9

 Early Zhou Simplification of form Fewer example of animal hybrids Animals depicted in the round Early Zhou Jade has less ornamentation 3

Jade Fish

Buffalo, Middle Zhou

Animal forms less stylized, more naturalistic Depicted in the round (8)

Pi / Bi (Bee) Disk, Middle Zhou

Ritual shape and a Symbol for Heaven said to have magical qualities Shape goes back to about 3000 BCE Coated with a cinnabar red which signifies immortality (found in grooves) Buried with the dead

Dragon Head
Wood and leather, 12 Tall (Near Minusinsk, Asian Russia) Siberia

Marquis Yi of Zeng, (tomb bells)

433 BCE

Clapperless Bells called nao were produced as early as the Shang Dynasty those were used mouth upward during the Late Zhou, mouth downward (zhong bells) are Late Zhou Bells produced two sounds, struck in center or on the side

 Birds with upswept tails

 New Technique of inlaid metals Gold, Silver, White Bronze, and Glass Horizontal grooves of Middle Zhou remain Lid functions as a plate when inverted 7 Tall

Inlaid Ding, Bronze

Finial, Bronze 5

A dragons head biting a bird as the bird bites him back Bird motif repeated at the base of the dragons head Metamorphosis is reintroduced in combination with combat in Late Zhou design. Inlaid with gold , silver, and white bronze Dragon and Pheonix? (Male Dragon - Female Pheonix = harmony)

Rhinoceros zun, Bronze 13 Tall

Inlaid decoration with the use of gold. Strong move towards naturalism Sophistication of form

 Late Zhou Jin Cun Henan Inlaid Bronze (Resides in Japan) 600-221 BCE

Mirror Back

 Double dragon motif with carved scales Late Zhou hook Pendants a sign of status or rank The sound of many pendants clinking together was said to rid the mind of evil thoughts 8

Huang Pendant, Jade

 Great sense of volume (economy of materials) Glaze from ash deposits, increase in this technique Based on bronze forms Use of Handles??? From bronze source

Proto-Porcelain Jar

Cranes and Serpents

First quality example of Chinese wood sculpture May have been a base for a drum Lacquer painted designs imitate bronzes Constructed in sections and assembled Cranes symbolize immortality 52 Tall (4 ft. 2 inches)

Man Riding on Dragon Boat

Aristocrat holding reigns riding the dragon-boat to heaven (parasol) Dragon-boat used for celestial travel by deities, the dead, and perfected beings Found on coffin in a tomb in Changsha Scene depicted in poetry of the period Crane symbol of immortality (evidence of folk religion) on dragons tail Ink and colors on Silk

Hu, Bronze
Hunting scenes common theme for Late Zhou bronzes Hu forms divided in bands, each band a narrative 10 Tall

Cavalryman and saddle horse

Earthenware Male figure 5 10 tall Originally painted

Tomb Model House

Gray clay, White slip and Red paint 4 Ft. Tall Shows elements of decorative painting on exterior

Basin Yue Ware, with incised fish. 13 Diam

Eastern Han

Wu Liang Ci (Wu family shrine)

Formal Style- Geometric, Emphasis on silhouette, static with figures carefully placed. Very little overlap. Line divides narrative, Procession of chariots below and scene of paying homage to the clan leader. (Emphasis on Confucian social hierarchy, tomb shows some Taoist elements) Fusang Tree, stylized as if from the Late Zhou (some overlap) Archer Yi shoots all but one Sun Crow so earth will not dry up. (drought) Late Zhou Tree exhibits story from Late Zhou period, and elements of the Late Zhou hook Archaic effect (Hierarchy of scale, Lord is large and in charge) / 147-151 CE Eastern Han

Tomb of Yinan

Banquet scene with orchestra Official style with some influence of Painterly style Painterly Style a southern development Sophisticated handling of the human figure within a recognizable space Diagonal table an early convention to depict perspective

Horse, Stone Western Han Dynasty

Stone horse with figure under legs Form retains shape of original stone Anatomy crudely depicted Archaic quality

Eastern Han 200 CE 13 Tall New Height for Chinese bronze sculpture Very sophisticated depiction of horse in gallop High degree of naturalism

Flying Horse

Censer
Bronze with gold inlay Pierced lid depicting mountains (smoke released through lid) Depictions of birds, animals, and huntsmen Shows similarity to Late Zhou inlay Heavy pierced decoration on foot Western (early)Han Dynasty 10 Tall

Pi (BE) Disk
Eastern Han Dynasty Disks follow very closely the designs of the earlier Late Zhou forms with continued quality of carving. Feline/Dragon motif In Freer Gallery of Art in DC

Jade Burial Suit

Tomb of Liu Sheng, Prince Ching of the Western Han Dynasty 113 BCE

Cut and assembled, 2,690 rectangle jade pieces sewn together with gold thread These burial suits were given by the Han Emperor only to very important individuals Discovered along with nearly 3000 burial objects

Globular Food Jar with handles Stoneware with incidental ash glaze deposits Kaya, League of States Period 57 BCE 562 CE 11 Tall

Warrior on Horseback Ewer

Incidental ash glazed stoneware Complex combination of figurative with function Playful response to clay (not press molded) Influence on Japanese Kofun Haniwa Tomb Ware Gold Crown Tomb, Kyongju Old Silla 600 CE 9 Tall

Crown
Sheet, Twisted and Granulated Gold Imbedded with a variety of precious stones Antler and Geometric Tree Forms Shamanism reference Gold Crown Tomb, Kyongju Old Silla 600 CE 17 Tall