A Terracotta Figure of a Cow

Western Han Dynasty, China, 206 BCE–220 CE Small terracotta figure of a cow rendered in a simplified and highly stylized form characteristic of early Chinese funerary pottery. Created as mingqi, or burial objects, sculptures of this type symbolized agricultural prosperity, nourishment, and the continuity of rural life in the afterlife. The compact proportions, restrained detailing, and weathered earthen surface reflect the utilitarian aesthetic associated with Han Dynasty tomb ceramics and the importance of livestock within early imperial Chinese society. It was likely part of a larger barnyard diorama.