Dog Terracotta Sculpture in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, July 2017

Dog


Object Details

Period: Eastern Han dynasty (25–220)

Culture: China

Medium: Earthenware

Dimensions: H. 16 3/4 in. (42.5 cm); W. 13 in. (33 cm); L. 19 11/16 in. (50 cm)

Classification: Tomb Pottery

Credit Line: Lent by Henan Museum


This recumbent dog is captured at a moment of animation: with wide eyes and upright ears, it opens its mouth as though barking, its teeth bared in confrontation. Its compact, hollow body was molded, while its other parts, such as the ears, teeth, and eyes, were sculpted separately and applied to the body. Vividly detailed canines such as this one embodied the animus of a living animal and frequently appeared in burial complexes, where they warded off evil spirits and guarded both the tomb occupant and the material wealth that he or she brought into the afterlife.

Text from: www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/700572