Ancient Chinese Han Dynasty Painted Pottery Tiger Mythical Beast Guardian Figure

Ancient Chinese Han Dynasty Painted Pottery Tiger Mythical Beast Guardian Figure This is a wonderful and highly decorative Chinese painted pottery figure depicting a mythical beast or guardian animal, presented in the distinctive style associated with ancient Chinese funerary sculpture. The striking animal is portrayed standing upon four powerful legs, with an elongated arched neck, raised head, open mouth and a wonderful long, curled tail. Of particular appeal is the extensive surviving polychrome decoration, with traces of earthy red, green, grey and ochre pigments creating a striped and wonderfully characterful appearance across the body. The surface displays considerable age-related wear, pigment loss, encrustation and weathering, giving the piece a wonderfully evocative archaeological appearance. Figures of this nature were traditionally produced as mingqi, or funerary objects, which were placed within ancient Chinese tombs to accompany and protect the deceased in the afterlife. The wonderfully animated stance and almost fantastical appearance of the creature make this an especially eye-catching piece, displaying beautifully from virtually every angle. Attributes: Chinese Pottery Circa: Probably of the Han Dynasty period (206 BCE to 220 CE ^^ Fast & Free UK Delivery Included^^ *A Certificate of Authenticity (COA) will be provided by artsonline with this piece* Delivery Artsonline UK ships worldwide daily, using only fully insured, priority, and fully tracked delivery services. Great care and much time are taken over the safe transportation of the Fine Art and Antique pieces that we sell. We pack extremely carefully, so you can rest assured that your piece will arrive with you in perfect condition. For larger paintings, antique furniture pieces, and fragile items that can not be sent via the normal postal services, we use professional door-to-door delivery providers, who will always strive to deliver your piece promptly, within approx. 7-14 working days. Returns Policy: Artsonline provides a genuine no-quibble 14-day money-back refund policy (excluding the cost of Postage and Packaging). Pay securely - Telephone orders welcome Image result for payments accepted logos Secure-Payment-Vpadeb-sa-la-go-th-et-an-gt-006586-BACS-Order-PayPal-M/Card