A Terracotta Pottery Figure of a Rhinocerous

Han Dynasty, China, 206 BCE–220 CEA grey terracotta rhinoceros figure modeled in a simplified yet expressive form characteristic of early Chinese funerary sculpture. Created as mingqi burial objects, figures of this type were intended to accompany the deceased into the afterlife as symbols of protection, strength, and status. The restrained modeling and weathered earthenware surface reflect the enduring aesthetic of Han Dynasty tomb art and the period’s fascination with both real and exotic animals. During the Han period, rhinocerouses could still be found in the extreme south of China, and it was remembered in the north so accurate depiction of the animal was possible. Two thousand years earlier, up to three species of rhinoceros existed in China, and some were found as far north as the Yellow River. They were hunted to extinction for their bony-plated hides, which were ideal for making shields.