Funerary Urn (Hunping)
Western Jin dynasty (A.D. 265–316), late 3rd century
Medium
Stoneware with olive-green glaze and molded and applied decoration
Dimensions
48.7 × 27.5 cm (19 3/16 × 10 13/16 in.); Diam.: 27.5 cm (10 13/16 in.)
Classification
stoneware
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
70003
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This complex and imaginatively modeled vessel is known as an “urn of the soul,” a symbolic dwelling for the spirit of the deceased. A profusion of figures was molded and applied to its sealed lid, which takes the form of a multistory pavilion. In the balcony-like mouth-rim, a tortoise supports a large vertical tablet, a common form of memorial stone. The real and mythical creatures on the vessel—birds, monkeys, bears, dragons, kneeling figures, and immortals riding dragons—all follow the iconogr...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...