Pig in Recumbent Position

1st–2nd century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 207

Small images of pigs—a symbol of wealth in ancient China—sculpted in jade or soapstone, were often placed in the hands of the deceased to express the wish for wealth in the afterlife.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

東漢玉握豬
Title: Pig in Recumbent Position
Period: Eastern Han dynasty (25–220)
Date: 1st–2nd century
Culture: China
Medium: Jade (nephrite)
Dimensions: H. 1 1/8 in. (2.9 cm); L. 4 1/2 in. (11.4 cm)
Classification: Jade
Credit Line: Charlotte C. and John C. Weber Collection, Gift of Charlotte C. and John C. Weber, 1994
Object Number: 1994.605.96
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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