Artwork preview

Tomb guardian beast (Zhenmushou)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The sculpture depicts a mythical creature with a lion-like face and a body covered in colorful designs. The creature has a large head with a short snout, small eyes, and two horns on top. Its body is primarily light-brown with dark-brown spots and features a floral design on its chest. The sculpture has four legs and a flame-like protrusion on its back, with pointed shapes extending upwards. The background of the image is gray. The sculpture is titled "Tomb guardian beast" or "Zhenmushou".

Artwork Details

Date
late 7th–early 8th century
Medium
Earthenware with pigment
Culture
China
Dimensions
599 × 469 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette