Pair of birds; China, Han dynasty, 206 -220 AD.

Pair of birds; China, Han dynasty, 206 -220 AD.
Polychrome terracotta.
Attached thermoluminescence study.
It shows wear and material adhesions.
Measurements: 7 x 16 x 4 cm (x2).
Round sculptures representing a bird of the Han period made in terracotta. These are works of great technical quality, especially in terms of modeling, as the author has managed to capture the expressiveness and anatomical naturalism of the animal, without neglecting the stylization typical of Chinese aesthetics of the time.
The Han dynasty ruled China between 206 B.C. and 220 A.D., 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.