Han Dynasty Terracotta Bullock Cart Mingqi
Far East, China, Han Dynasty, ca. 206 BCE to 220 CE. Funerary object made from terracotta with handpainted details in black. The ancient Chinese buried precious items with the elite in order to ensure an enjoyable and secure afterlife. It was their steadfast belief that life continued after death into the next world, and that objects buried with the deceased would be used just as they were by the living. Such funerary objects are referred to as Mingqui and may include pieces as impressive and grand as this bullock cart as well as miniature human figurines, animals, furniture, eating utensils, houses and other architectural models. Size: bull 7"L x 5"H; cart 7-1/2"L x 9-1/2"H; on lucite stand all measure 15"L x 10-1/4"H.
Provenance: Ex-private Scott McCue collection, Santa Fe, NM.
Condition: One wheel has a stabilized crack through it, otherwise choice.
