Art Funded by you

Grain tower

Unknown artist, 1958

Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

This low-fired ceramic model of an everyday object is a typical feature of Han dynasty burials, which also included cooking utensils, household articles and domestic and farm animals in addition to examples of architecture. They were placed in tombs for the benefit of the part of the deceasedÂ’s soul that resided there. The lead glazes applied to burial wares were coloured with either iron for yellow/brown or copper for green, and were not used on functional pieces. Extract of an article in the 2007 Art Fund Review written by Shelagh Vainker.

More information

Title of artwork, date

Grain tower, 1958

Date supported

2007

Medium and material

Ceramic

Gifted by

Walter Denys Godin

Content note: This object record is part of our archive and has not been updated since it was first published. It may contain inaccurate information or outdated language. Please get in touch if you think this record should be amended.

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