Funerary Jar With Zoomorphic Pattern 

Neolithic Age 

Artist: Unknown

Yangshao culture

5000-3000BC

Location: Yangshao, Shaanxi Province 

Material: Painted red ware 

Bowl With Mask Motif

Neolithic

Yangshao Culture

Artist: Unknown

Banpo, Shaanxi Province

5000-3000BC

Material: Painted red ware 

Yue- wine vessel 

Shang Dynasty

Artist: Unknown

Erlitou- Early Shang 

1600-1500BC

Location: Erlitou, Yanshi in Henan province

Material: Bronze

Used to serve wine.

Tripod thought to have magic powers 

Wine used in rituals 

Fang Ding 

Shang Dynasty

Artist: Unknown

Zhengzhou, Henan Province

Mid-Shang

1500-1400 BC

Bronze

Used as a cooking vessel for food

Bird-Shaped Zun

Shang Dynasty 

Artist: Inscribed for Fu Hao 

Anyang, Henan Province- In Tomb 5

Late-Shang Dynasty (Anyang)

1300-1100 BC

Material: Bronze 

Used for: Ritual vessel serving wine or libations 

Bronze Standing Figure 

Shang Dynasty 

Artist: Unknown

Late-Shang

Location: Sanxingdui, Guanghan, Sichuan Province

1300-1100 BC

Material: Bronze

Used for ???

Oracle Bones

Shang Dynasty 

Artist: Unknown

Late-Shang/Anyang Phase

14th-12th Century BC 

Location: China

Material: Bone

Used for: Questions asked by kings are written by Oracles on the bones, roasted, then the cracks were read by Shamans 

Lei

Zhou Dynasty 

Artist: Unknown

Western/Early Zhou

Location: Kezuo Xian, Liaoning Province in Pit #2?

Late 11th-10th Century BC 

Used for: Wine vessel 

Zun

Zhou Dynasty 

Artist: Inscribed for Ha

Western Zhou

Location: Baoji, Shaanxi Province

Late 11th Century BC

Used for: Ritual wine vessel for pouring wine 

Has animal masks and S-shaped snakes

Guang

Zhou Dynasty 

Artist: Inscribed for owner Qi

Fufeng Xian, Shaanxi Province

Western Zhou

Late 11th-10th Centry BC

Used for: Mixing wine 

Fact: embodies Shang concepts of metamorphosis- it's a few different animals morphed into one. The shape of the vessel facilitates this. 

Li

Zhou Dynasty

Artist: Inscribed for Bo Ju

Western Zhou

Fangshan, Liulihe Xian (Beijing Metropolitan District)

Late 11th-10th Century BC

Used for: food. Compact vessel with three levels and three legs 

Fang Hu

Zhou Dynasty 

Artist: Unknown

Eastern Zhou- Spring and Autumn Period

Late 7th-6th Century BC

Location: Xinzheng, Henan Province

Used for: Wine vessel

Interlacing animal forms into intricate patterns is new in this period 

Dui 

Zhou Dynasty 

Artist: Unknown

Eastern Zhou- Warring States Period

4th Century BC

Location: China

Materials: Bronze with Silver Inlay

Used for: Food vessel 

Bell

Zhou Dynasty

Artist: Unknown

Eastern Zhou- Warring States Period

5th Century BC

Location: Sui District of Hubei Province

In Zheng Hou Yi's Tomb

Facts: Music was beginning to be recognzied by Confucius. The dots on it make for an even tone. Music can be ordered, and that can be applied to social/governmental scale 

A Woman, A Phoneix, A Dragon

Zhou Dynasty 

Artist: Unknown

Eastern Zhu- Early Warring States Period

3rd Century BC

Location: Changsha, Hunan Province

In Chu Graves- beginning of pictorial art in state of Chu

Made of: paintings on silk 

Facts: Phoenix symbolizes beauty and the south. 

Man on a Dragon Boat

Zhou Dynasty

Artist: Unknown

Eastern Zhou- Warring States Period

3rd Century BC

Location: Changsha, Hunan Province 

Materials: Paintings on Silk

Facts: Dragon boats are vehicles to transport deities or ethical men to heaven. 

Hu with Inlaid Scenes

Zhou Dynasty 

Artist: Unknown

Eastern Zhou- Warring States Period

Late 6th-5th Century BC

Location: Chengdu, Sichuan Province

Materials: Bronze

Used for: Wine vessel. 

Terracotta Army

Qin Dynasty

Artist: Unknown

210BC

Location: Xian, at First Emperor's Monument

Material: Stone/Terracotta

Facts: All built to protect the emperor in or to his afterlife. 

Each one had unique characteristics and features and varying ranks were represented. 

Infantryman In Armor

Qin Dynasty

Artist: Unknown

End of 3rd Century BC

Location: Xian at First Emperor's Monument

Fact: First Emperor's name was King Zheng

Funerary Banner with Painting of Lady Dai 

Han Dynasty

Artist: Unknown

Western Han Dynasty 

180 BC

Location: Changsha, Hunan Province 

From tomb of Marquis of Dai

Material: Silk 

Facts: The upper part of the banner displays the sky with mythical inhabitants. The center figure is the mother of the West and 4 accompanying figures (fox-magic, hare-longetivity, toad-moon, and crow-sun) are on here. 

Wu Ling Ci (Wu Family Shrines) 

Han Dynasty

Artist: Unknown

Eastern Han 

147-151 AD

Location: Jiashang, Shangdong

Materials: Stone with ink and then paper?

^Rubbing of Stone Relief

Facts: The tree in the relief references Daoism while the rest of the scene maintains Confucian themes such as order and hierarchy. 

Figures Painted on a Tomb Tile

Han Dynasty 

Artist: Unknown

Eastern Han

25-220 AD

Location: China? 

Materials: Painted pottery tomb tile 

Tomb Tile with Scenes of Hunting and Harvesting 

Han Dynasty

Artist: Unknown

Eastern Han

25-220 AD

Location: Anren Village, Sichuan Province

Material: Stone

 Facts: The depth depicted by the change in the size of the animals indicate that Han painters shared an organized and intuitive understanding of how to orient space in their depictions of nature or scenes around them 

Standing Sakyamuni 

Kusana Period

Artist: Unknown

2nd half of 2nd Century AD

Location: Kusana, Gandhara, India

Material: Stone

Facts: The draped robes or curly hair on a youthful Buddha statue can be attributed to Hellenistic influence (specifically the Apollo image) combined with symbolism from India 

Bust of Buddha in Dharmacakra Mudra

Ghandara Period

Artist: Unknown

Ghandara-Kusana Period

Location: Gandhara, Pakistan

3rd Century AD

Material: Sandstone

Buddha with Avalokitesavara and Maitreya 

Kusana Period

Artist: Unknown

2nd Century AD

Location: Sahri-Bahlol area, Gandhara, India

Facts: Maitreya (right) is a future human Buddha and Avalokitesvara (left) is a bodhisattva, embodiment of compassion

Bodhisattva Maitreya

Kusana Period

Artist: Unknown

Late 2nd Century AD

Location: Gandhara, India

 Facts: The pedestal of the figure, a scene from the life of the Buddha is depicted. More characteristic of northwest India rather than Greco-Roman styles.

Yaksa (from Parkham)

Sunga Period

Artist: Unknown

2nd-1st Century BC

Location: Parkham, India

Fact: The one on the left is a model for later Mathura images. Mathura Buddhas have broad shoulders and feet strongly planted to convey enormous energy.

Yaksa = Male Nature Deity 

Bhiksu Bala's Buddha

Kusana Period

Artist: Unknown

1st Century AD

Location: Mathura, India

Fact: This one was dedicated by Monk Bala

Seated Sakyamuni 

Kusana Period 

Artist: Unknown

2nd Century AD

Location: Barali District, Mathura, India

(Ancient Ahicchattra)

Facts: The posture of the Buddha in this image is a posture of meditation or "having a diamond throne" 

Standing Buddha

Gupta Period

Artist: Unknown

5th Century AD

Location: Saranath, India 

 Facts: The hand position of the Buddha here means "without fear". It is a gesture of protection and reassurance. The Gupta style produced the quintessential Buddha image that we see today- "classic peak"

Buddha's First Sermon 

Gupta Period

Artist: Unknown

5th Century AD

Location: Sarnath, India

 Facts: The Buddha's hands signify "dharmacakra" meaning "wheel of law". It is the gesture of setting in motion the Wheel of the Law 

Giant Seated Buddha

Northern Wei Dynasty

Artist: Unknown

470-480 AD

Location: Yun-Kang, China|Cave 20

Facts: The tradition of carving into living rock wasn't an inherently Chinese tradition, which means it was probably imported from India 

Archaic

Standing Buddha Triad

Northern Wei Dynasty

Artist: Unknown

523 AD

Location: Pin-yang Cave, Henan Province

 Facts: Utlizes the elongated style 

Stele with Sakyamuni and Bodhisattvas

Northern Wei Dynasty

Artist: Unknown

First Half of 6th Century AD

Location: Qi District, Henan Province

Stele means an upright stone monument with inscriptions

Elongated style

Bodhisattva Maitreya Seated in Pensive Pose

Northern Qi Dynasty 

Artist: Unknown

575 AD

Location: China 

 Facts: Elongated style

Standing Buddha

Northern Qi Dynasty

Artist: Unknown

550-577 AD

Location: Shangdong Province

Preaching Buddha

Northern Wei Dynasty

Artist: Unknown

Mid 5th to early 6th Century AD

Location: Gansu Province, Mogao Cave 249

Fact: The Mogao Cave was a center of commerce for the Silk Road as well as a meeting place for various people and religions such as Buddhism.

The caves became a place of worship and pilgrimage for the public.

This is a highly energetic piece, with sharp lines and bold, colors with no shading, which can be a testament to the shock of the Chinese painting style meeting new Buddhist imagery and foreign techniques of representation.

Archaic- flat, non-3D images

Interior of Tomb/Painted Bricks From Tomb

Six Dynasties Period

Artist: Unknown

3rd Century AD

Location: Gansu Province

Official 

Six Dynasties Period

Artist: Unknown

570 AD

Location: Shaanxi Province

Fact: ---

Wise and Benevolent Women

Six Dynasties Era

Artist: attributed to Gu Kaizhi

4th Century AD

Location: China

Material: Handscroll 

Fact: 

The Admonitions of Court Instructresses

Six Dynasties Era

Artist: Gu Kaizhi

344-406 AD

Location: China

Material: Handscroll 

Fact: --

The Admonition of Court Instructress

Six Dynasties Era

Artist: Gu Kaizhi

344-406 AD

Location: China

Material: Handscroll 

Fact: ***

The Nymph of the Luo River (Departure of the Nymph)

Six Dynasties Era

Artist: Gu Kaizhi

4th Century AD

Location: China

Material: Handscroll

Fact: ***

The Nymph of Luo River (Poet Contemplating)

Six Dynasties Era

Artist: Gu Kaizhi

4th Century AD

Location: China

Material: Handscroll

Fact: ***

Vairocana Buddha Flanked by Ananda, Kasyapas, and Bodhisattvas

Tang Dynasty

Artist: Unknown

672-672 AD

Location: Henan Province

Material: Rock

Fact: ***

Vimalakirti

Tang Dynasty

Artist: Unknown

8th Century AD

Location: Mogao Cave, Xinjiang Province

Material: Cave wall and paint... 

Fact: This is in the style of Wu Daozi

13 Emperors of the Successive Dynasties

Tang Dynasty

Artist: Yan Liben

7th Century AD

Location: China

Material: Ink and Color on Silk- Handscroll

Fact: ***

13 Emperors

Tang Dynasty

Artist: Yan Liben

7th Century AD

Location: China

Fact: ***

Court Ladies Preparing Newly Woven Silk 

Tang Dynasty

Artist: Zhang Xuan

8th Century AD

Location: China

Material: Color on Silk- Handscroll

Facts:***

Court Ladies

Tang Dynasty

Artist: Unknown

706 AD

Location: Tomb of Princess Yongtai's Tomb- Shaanxi

Materials: Stone/brick/tomb and color

Facts: ***

Emperor Ming-huang's Journey to Shu

Tang Dynasty

Artist: attributed to Li Zhaodao

8th Century AD

Location: China

Material: silk with ink and paint? 

Facts: ***

Snow Landscape 

Tang Dynasty 

Artist: Wang Wei 

8th Century AD

Location: China

Material: Album leaf- ink and white pigment on silk

Facts: ***

Two Minds in Harmony 

Five Dynasties 

Artist: Shi Ke 

10th Century AD

Location: China

Fact: Portrays "chan"- a contemplative, medidative state 

Two Minds in Harmony 

Five Dynasties 

Artist: Shi Ke 

10th Century AD

Location: China

Material: Handscroll- ink on paper

Fact: Portrays "chan"- a contemplative, medidative state 

Buddhist Temple in the Hills After Rain

Northern Song Dynasty

Artist: Li Chen

960 AD

Location: China

Material: Hanging scroll 

Fact: Northern Song strove to achieve a realistic portrayal of nature 

Early Spring 

Northern Song

Artist: Guo Xi 

1072 AD

Location: China 

Material: Hanging scroll

 Fact: Northern Song was marked by Neo-Confucianism and artists saw nature as having order and harmony, which they wished upon society

Traveling Among Streams and Mountains

Northern Song Dynasty

Artist: Fan Kuan

1000 AD

Location: China 

Material: Hanging scroll

Fact: Northern Song was based on Northern Buddhism where enlightenment is achieved through a series of steps over a lifetime and art was approached the same way- understanding nature well enough to paint it takes steps 

Misty Landscape

Northern Song Dynasty

Artist: Mi Youren

12th Century AD

Location:

Material: Hanging scroll

Fact: Northern Buddhism, realism, etc. 

Two Finches on Twigs of Bamboo

Northern Song Dynasty

Artist: Emperor Huizong

12th Century AD

Location: China

Material: Handscroll 

Fact: Emperor Huizong founded the Imperial Painting Academy 

Walking on a Mountain Path in Spring

Southern Song Dynasty 

Artist: Ma Yuan

13th Century AD

Location: China

Material: Signed album leaf

Fact: Southern Song was based off of Southern Buddhism where enlightenment happens spontaneously- you have to really work to deeply feel and experience nature before being able to produce good art of it 

A Pure and Remote View of Rivers and Mountains

Southern Song Dynasty

Artist: Xia Gui

13th Century AD

Location: China

Material: Handscroll- ink on paper

Fact: Southern Song was Daoist and tried to evoke a feeling of loneliness and feeling small in a vast world by painting expanses of vastness

The Sixth Patriarch Cutting Bamboo 

Southern Song Dynasty 

Artist: Liang Kai 

Mid 13th Century 

Location: China

Material: Handscroll 

Facts: Southern Song characterized by vastness of space around human subjects

Persimmons! 

Southern Song Dynasty

Artist: Mu Qi 

13th Century AD

Location: China

Material: Handscroll

Fact: By focusing on and working to understand one little thing, like a persimmon, you can understand the world 

Persimmons! 

Southern Song Dynasty

Artist: Mu Qi 

13th Century AD

Location: China

Material: Handscroll

Fact: By focusing on and working to understand one little thing, like a persimmon, you can understand the world 

Wang Xiqi Gazing at Geese

Yuan Dynasty

Artist: Qian Xuan

13th Century AD

Location: China

Material: Handscroll- ink and color on paper

Fact: Yuan dynasty valued calligraphy, specifically brushstrokes that had the personality of the calligrapher within it

Autumn Colors on the Chiao and Hua Mountains

Yuan Dynasty

Artist: Zhao Mengfu

1296 AD

Location: China

Material: Handscroll- ink and color on paper 

Fact: Spit some shit about Yuan ok

Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains

Yuan Dynasty

Huang Gongwang

1350 AD

Location: China

Material: Handscroll- ink and color on paper 

Facts: Yuan liked to portray scenes that make you want to contemplate and draw into yourself

Fishermen 

Yuan Dynasty

Artist: Wu Zhen 

1342 AD

Location: China

Material: Handscroll 

Fact: *

The Ronxgi Studio

Yuan Dynasty

Artist: Ni Zhan

1372 AD

Location: China

Material: Hanging scroll 

Forest Dwellings at Juqu

Yuan Dynasty

Artist: Wang Meng 

14th Century AD

Location: China

Material: Hanging Scroll 

Watching the Mid-Autumn Moon

Ming Dynasty

Artist: Shen Zhou

15th Century AD

Location: China

Material: Handscroll

Fact: Shen Zhou was part of the Wu school, which carried on the tradition of the Yuan dynasty with calligraphy and brushstrokes that had both personality and craftsmanship

Secluded Fishermen on Autumn River

Ming Dynasty

Artist: Tang Yin

1523 AD

Location: China

Material: Handscroll

Fact: Artist Tang Yin was part of the transitional school

Spring Morning in the Han Palace

Ming Dynasty

Artist: Qiu Ying 

16th Century AD

Location: China

Material: Handscroll

Fact: Qiu Dang was part of the transitional school because he painted high-status people, but was a low-status person

A Homecoming Ode to Tao Yuanming 

Ming Dynasty

Artist: Chen Hongshou

17th Century AD

Location: China

Material: Handscroll

Fact: Tao Yuanming is sniffing chrysanthemums, has wine, and a lute which are all symbols of pleasure