Octagonal Pillow, late 12th-early 13th century
Unknown artist, Chinaexpand_more
Cizhou ware Stoneware with brown and white slip decorexpand_more
Gift of Ruth and Bruce Daytonexpand_more 98.81.1
On View in Gallery 204expand_more
While octagonal head-rests were common during the Song and Jin dynasties, this example is distinguished by the calligraphy, written with white slip, which is a relatively rare technique. The fronds forming the fourteen character poem are executed in brown slip with particularly elegant brushstrokes. The poetic inscription reads:
Spring drunkenness meets often with an
overflow of flowers;
Autumn chants face at length the
graceful beauty of the moon.
Pillows were typically inscribed with popular ballads, Confucian sayings, and poems. The inscriptions can be as short as one or two characters and as long as over a hundred characters.
Details
- Title
- Octagonal Pillow
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 98.81.1
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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