Tomb guardian

Date6th - 9th century

Label TextThe Chinese were fascinated with the appearance of foreigners and tended to represent them as caricatures, exaggerating facial characteristics such as large noses, heavy eyebrows and facial hair that make the attendants appear fierce, strange, and sometimes humorous. They were perceived as brutes possessing superior physical strength, but lacking the sophistication and culture of the Han Chinese.

Object number35.3.2

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, The Museum: Mixed Metaphors, Fred Wilson, Jan. 28 - June 13, 1993. Seattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Timeless Grandeur: Art from China, Apr. 25, 2002 - June 12, 2005. Seattle, Washington, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Chinese Art: A Seattle Perspective, Dec. 22, 2007 - July 26, 2009. Seattle, Washington, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Boundless: Stories of Asian Art, Feb. 8, 2020 - ongoing. Seattle, Washington, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Boundless: Stories of Asian Art, Feb. 8, 2020 - ongoing.

Credit LineEugene Fuller Memorial Collection

Dimensions36 1/4 x 9 1/2 x 9 in. (92.08 x 24.13 x 22.86 cm) Overall h.: 40 5/8 in.

MediumEarthenware with paint