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THE PAMPLIN COLLECTION: CHINESE
5,000 years of Chinese art and history, with pieces that have been exhibited in museums nationwide
Dog, Han Dynasty
206 BCE-220 CE, Glazed earthenware, 15.5 x 18 x 14.5 inches. During the
Han dynasty, dogs of various types were frequently placed in tombs. The most common was a mastiff-type animal usually shown standing on all four legs. This long- necked dog is unusual in both color and design. Al- though seated with paws un- der his body, his neck cranes upward as if detecting a sud-
den intruder. With eyes bulg- ing and ears alert, he seems ready to bark in defense of his master’s tomb just as he might have greeted a visitor in the family courtyard. As watchdog and gatekeeper, perhaps his role in the tomb can be compared with other guardian gures of the Han dynasty that, however, usu- ally took on a more mythical characterization.