Old Testament figures

China

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 219

The clothing and other attributes of these figures suggest that they are Old Testament personages, which are rarely depicted in Chinese art. The inscriptions alluding to the Ten Commandments on the tablets held by one of the figures (second to the right) imply that he is Moses; the crown and harp of another may identify him as David; and the remaining two are most likely prophets. Flat crossbars with holes on the bases of the figures indicate that they may once have been part of a larger ensemble that was secured onto a platform

#7369. Four Old Testament Figures

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Old Testament figures, Cloisonné, China

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