A PAIR OF HAN DYNASTY WOODEN ARMS
CHINA, C. 202 B.C. - 220 A.D.
Estimate: £1,200 - £1,800
Auction: 13 March 2025 from 13:00 GMT
Description
carved wood, originally part of an articulated mùzàng yǒng figure, heavily weathered with an angular, abstracted form, raised on a bespoke mount
Dimensions
27.5cm tall
Provenance
Private collection, Scotland (acquired from the below in 2016 and accompanied by the original invoice)
ArtAncient, London
JT Tai (1911 - 1992), New York, United States
Footnote
These Han Dynasty wooden arms, originally part of an articulated tomb figure, reflect the period’s funerary practices, in which wooden and pottery figures were placed in tombs to accompany the deceased. Such figures, often with separately carved and jointed limbs, were designed to evoke animated presence in the afterlife. They were formerly in the collection of J.T. Tai (1911–1992), a distinguished New York-based dealer of Chinese art, known for supplying major institutions, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art,