Quarter-view of an arched four-legged dragon with a lean body, open mouth, horned head, scaly back and a thin tail. The paint has worn into patches of browns and reds.
Back-view of an arched four-legged dragon with a lean body, open mouth, horned head, scaly back and a thin tail. The paint has worn into patches of browns and reds.
Side-view of an arched four-legged dragon with a lean body, open mouth, horned head, scaly back and a thin tail. The paint has worn into patches of browns and reds.
Side-view of an arched four-legged dragon with a lean body, open mouth, horned head, scaly back and a thin tail. The paint has worn into patches of browns and reds.
Front-view of an arched four-legged dragon with a lean body, open mouth, horned head, and sharp teeth, looking rightwards. The paint has worn into patches of browns and reds.
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Unknown Maker, Chinese

Dragon
Now On View

Maker

Unknown Maker, Chinese

Culture

Chinese

Title

Dragon

Period

Northern Wei Dynasty

Year

400-600 CE

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Materials

earthenware, pigment

Dimensions

31.5 x 33 x 15 cm (12 3/8 x 13 x 5 7/8 inches)

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Museum Appropriation Fund

Object Number

30.005

Type

Publications

Exhibition History

Asian Art Galleries
Jun 10, 2014

Label copy

While drawings and paintings of dragons have long been made across East Asia, this work is an unusual early example of a dragon in sculpted form. The beast’s head is raised, its neck taut and mouth open, ready to attack. It may have been created as a guardian figure at a grave site, as a protector for the deceased in the afterlife.

In China, the dragon was considered a powerful but benevolent being that dwelled in the heavens and brought rain for bountiful harvests. In later years, the dragon also came to symbolize imperial rulers and their power.

Chinese Treasures from the Permanent Collection
Mar 03, 1989 – Apr 23, 1989
Rockefeller Asian Art Gallery

Image use

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Public Domain This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

Unknown Maker, Chinese
Dragon, 400-600 CE
Earthenware with traces of polychromy
31.5 x 33 x 15 cm (12 3/8 x 13 x 5 7/8 inches)
Museum Appropriation Fund 30.005

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