From Court to Caravan: Chinese Tomb Sculptures from the Collection of Anthony M. Solomon

Virginia L. Bower, Robert D. Mowry Published in 2002ISBN 1-891771-25-6 160 pages; 8-3/4x12 in. 80 color illustrations Paper During the Chinese Han (206 BC–AD 220) and Tang (AD 618–907) dynasties, earthenware sculptures were placed in elaborate tombs to protect and serve the spirits of the deceased. These fascinating sculptures took the forms of soldiers, courtiers, musicians, merchants, and attendants. Animals were depicted as well, among them horses, rams, boars, dogs, and camels. From Court to Caravan features seventy-three exquisite Chinese tomb sculptures from the Anthony M. Solomon collection, which includes a particularly rich selection of sixth-century pieces and is noteworthy for its focus on unglazed, cold-painted sculptures. This 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 the Silk Route trade that they reveal. This cata