Pair of Hu" shaped vases

Pair of "Hu" shaped vases. China, Han dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD).
Green glazed terracotta, one iridescent.
They present damages and marks of use.
Measurements: 17 and 17.5 cm (height).

This pair of vases presents the characteristic "hu" form: it rises on a short circular foot slightly flared, with a rounded body that ends in an elongated neck and turned mouth. Both have been glazed in green, one in a darker shade and the other in a lighter shade.

The Han dynasty ruled China between 206 BC and 220 AD, more than four centuries during which the political, social and economic structures of China were consolidated, leading the country to the most glorious stage of its history. Regarding the art of this time, it is still eminently funerary, although it reflects the very high artistic level that will be reached both in the capitals and in the provinces. These preserved objects provide us with information on the daily life and customs of the time, since the art becomes much more mundane than the bronzes of the Zhou and Shang periods. The structures of the tombs also changed: the Shang tombs were vertical, while the Han tombs were built as subway palaces. They were decorated with reliefs stamped with scenes from the life of the deceased, and a new material was incorporated as an artistic support, lacquer. However, the most famous today is the production of Han ceramics, in terracotta and decorated with cold-applied engobes, mainly black and red.