Figure of a Rabbit, 8th-9th century
Unknown artist, Chinaexpand_more
Porcelain under a cream glaze with details in black pigmentexpand_more
Gift of Ruth and Bruce Daytonexpand_more 2004.132.4
On View in Gallery 204expand_more
This exceptionally rare figure of a crouching rabbit shows the animal with head held low resting on its forepaws compactly modeled and smoothly contoured in a simplified naturalistic style. The work was created shortly after the invention of porcelain during the late eighth or early ninth century and the artist has exploited the natural color of the clay. A Tang dynasty bronze mirror in the museum's collection shows a rabbit mixing the elixir of immortality, a motif associated with Daoism and the wish for longevity. How this ceramic rabbit would have functioned is unclear but its size and shape suggest that it could have been used as a paperweight and, as a Daoist emblem of immortality, it would have functioned well as a tomb object in an aristocratic Tang burial.
Details
- Title
- Figure of a Rabbit
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2004.132.4
- 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.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.