Ming Dynasty Glazed Pottery Horseshoe-Back Chair

Ming Dynasty, c. 1550-1600, North China

A rare and refined example of Ming Dynasty funerary art, this exquisite glazed pottery model represents a jiao yi, or horseshoe-back armchair—an iconic symbol of elegance and authority in imperial China. Created as a burial ware (mingqi), the chair is richly adorned with deep cobalt blue glaze across the frame and legs, contrasted with luminous turquoise highlights that accentuate the gracefully curved backrest and footrest.

The sweeping horseshoe-shaped crest rail, ending in outward flared terminals, lends the chair a commanding yet graceful silhouette. Sculpted armrests curve downward in elegant arcs, while the x-form legs evoke the portability of traditional folding “hunter’s chairs,” complete with a cross-braced footrest. The incised cross-hatching on the seat suggests cushioned upholstery, echoing the luxurious textiles used in life-sized Ming-era furniture.

Though small in scale, this model embodies the aesthetic ideals and hierarchical values of Ming furniture design. Originally conceived as a travel chair for the elite, the jiao yi evolved into a formal seat of honor, prominently featured in reception halls and reserved for figures of authority. Miniature ceramic versions like this were placed in tombs to accompany the deceased, ensuring comfort and status in the afterlife.

With its harmonious proportions and vivid glazes, this remarkable object offers both artistic beauty and cultural insight. It is an exceptional piece for collectors of Chinese antiquities, funerary art, or Ming ceramics—an enduring tribute to the craftsmanship and ceremonial traditions of imperial China.

Excellent condition. Surface wear and abrasions commensurate with age and use, fading to glaze pigment in scattered areas, and light earthen deposits, otherwise intact. Size approx. 18,2cm x 11,8cm x 8,5cm.

Provenance: British private collection.

For a similar examples see:

Model, The British Museum, Accession Number: 1937,0716.135 (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_1937-0716-135)

Model of armchair, Asian Civilisations Museum, Accession Number: 1993-00115 (https://www.roots.gov.sg/Collection-Landing/listing/1148519)

References and further reading:

The Matter of Tang Tomb Figures; A New Perspective on a Group of Terracotta Animals and Riders, Lucien Van Valen & Isabelle Garachon, The Rijksmuseum Bulletin, Volume 62. pp. 218-239, 2014.

Dream of Ideal Life in Ancient China: Ceramic Miniatures of Architectures, Household Goods, People and Animals, Aichi.ken Toji Shiryokan, Seto, 2005, no. 14, p. 34.

Antecedents of Sui-Tang Burial Practices in Shaanxi, Mary Fong, Artibus Asiae 51, no:s. 3–4 (1991), pp. 147–98.

Mingqi - Items for the next world, Jan-Erik Nilsson, Gotheborg.com (https://gotheborg.com/glossary/mingqi.shtml)

Immortality of the Spirit: Chinese Funerary Art from the Han and Tang Dynasties Exhibition Catalogue, Jill J. Deupi, Ive Covaci & Leopold Swergold, Immortality of the Spirit - Ephemera. 1, Fairfield University, 2012. (https://digitalcommons.fairfield.edu/immortality_ephemera/1)

The Vibrant Role of Mingqi in Early Chinese Burials, Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, Heather Colburn Clydesdale, Independent Scholar, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, April 2009. (www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/mgqi/hd_mgqi.htm)