Han Dynasty Painted Pottery Covered Hu Vessel With Animal‑Mask Handles

拍品描述

Dimensions：Overall height 33 cm (13.0 in), mouth diameter 13 cm (5.1 in), 202 BCE‑220 CECondition & Provenance：The pottery hu is preserved complete with its original matching lid. No structural cracks or major losses, two animal‑mask handles remain intact. Surface painted pigments show natural age‑related flaking consistent with ancient burial condition, many scrolling cloud‑motif sections stay distinct. Wheel‑turning marks on base are well‑preserved. Minor edge chips appear on rim and lid from excavation. Unearthed from a Han‑period tomb in central China, this pottery passed through successive generations of Chinese collectors. It was acquired in 2025 by a private ancient‑pottery collector based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Full excavation provenance files and professional lab examination reports are available.Description：This painted pottery covered hu with beast‑mask handles is a significant burial ritual vessel for wine storage, representative of painted pottery tradition in China’s Central Plains during Han dynasty. Made of well‑fired sturdy clay, it features flared mouth, contracted neck, full rounded belly and tall ring foot, paired with original knob‑topped lid. Molded three‑dimensional beast‑mask handles are applied to the shoulder. Decoration is painted over dark‑brown ground using vermilion‑red and white mineral pigments. Triangular patterns and swirling cloud scrolls adorn the neck, while layered scrolling cloud‑and‑grass motifs wrap around the belly. Fluid rhythmic lines embody the romantic artistic taste of Han China. Clear wheel‑throwing spiral marks on base give direct evidence of Han‑era pottery‑making technology. After two thousand years underground, partial pigment loss occurs naturally without modern repainting or restoration. Complete Han painted pottery surviving together with its original lid is fairly uncommon on global antique market. With stately silhouette and richly arranged ornamentation, this artifact demonstrates outstanding Han‑dynasty pottery craftsmanship and painted‑art aesthetics. It serves as valuable material evidence for researching Han burial customs and pictorial culture, much admired by ancient‑pottery collectors across North America, well‑suited for private‑museum‑style display and academic study.

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