From Court to Caravan

During the Han (206 B.C.–A.D. 220) and Tang (A.D. 618–907) dynasties, terra cotta sculptures were placed in elaborate tombs to protect and to serve the spirit of the deceased. These fascinating sculptures took the form of soldiers, courtiers, musicians, merchants, attendants, court officials, and guardians. Animals were depicted as well—horses, rams, boars, dogs, and camels.

From Court to Caravan featuresseventy-five exquisite Chinese tomb sculptures from the collection of Anthony Solomon, which includes a particularly rich selection of sixth-century pieces and is noteworthy for its focus on unglazed, cold-painted sculptures. The book provides an up-to-date overview of China’s wide variety of ceramic tomb sculptures, their place in Chinese material culture, and the influences of Silk Route trade that they reveal.

Distributed for the Harvard Art Museum