Into the Afterlife: Han and Six Dynasties Chinese Tomb Sculpture from the Schloss Collection

The contrasts and continuities between the arts of the peaceful, agricultural Han dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) and the turbulent, disunited Six Dynasties Period (220-581 AD) was the subject of this exhibition. The 60 ceramic sculptures from the world-renowned Schloss collection were made originally to furnish the tombs of the ancient Chinese. The aristocracy and landed gentry were attempting to recreate their temporal life as they passed into the afterlife. The exhibition included statues of farm animals: watchdogs, pigs, roosters, horses, oxen, sheep, and goats as well as money boxes, wells, and stoves from the largely settled, agricultural Han dynasty. These were complemented by sculpture of warriors, horses, camels, packhorses, and courtiers from the predominantly warring Six Dynasties period. Among the most spectacular objects were five tall pottery towers made at the end of the Han in the second century AD. A fully-illustrated color catalogue by guest curator Candace J. Lewis was on sale at the exhibition. There are works that appeared in this exhibition that were loans to the Loeb and therefore do not appear on this website.