Ming Dynasty Sancai Glazed Pottery Altar Table

Ming Dynasty, c. 1550–1644, China

A rare and evocative Ming Dynasty pottery model of an altar table, exquisitely crafted as part of a tomb group and adorned with a lustrous amber and green sancai (“three-colour”) glaze, enriched with areas of dark pigment. The tabletop remains unglazed, likely from contact with offerings once placed above it.

This rectangular table, standing on four elegantly modeled legs, would have formed part of a larger assemblage of mingqi (“spirit goods”)—objects created to accompany the deceased into the afterlife. Such funerary furnishings reflected the belief that the comforts and symbols of earthly status were required beyond death, ensuring both continuity and protection in the spiritual realm.

Lead-glazed ceramics first appeared in the Han Dynasty and achieved their most vivid artistic expression in the Tang sancai tradition. By the Ming period, the technique evolved toward refined, often monochrome or dual-colour glazes, with rich green and amber tones especially prized for their depth and vibrancy.

This exceptional model, with its harmonious form and glowing glaze, stands as a testament to the enduring sophistication of Ming funerary craftsmanship and the spiritual ideals that shaped one of China’s greatest artistic legacies.

Excellent condition. Intact. Surface wear, and minor abrasions consistent with age, with areas of encrusted patina and rich earthen deposits across the surface. Size approx. 26,7cm x 16,2cm x 13,0cm.

Provenance: British private collection.

For a similar examples see:

Model of table, Asian Civilisations Museum, Accession Number:1994-00472  (https://www.roots.gov.sg/Collection-landing/listing/1069178)

Altar Table with Six Offerings, University of Michigan Museum of Art, Accession Number: 2008/2.277 (https://umma.umich.edu/objects/altar-table-with-six-offerings-2008-2-277/)

Model of table, Asian Civilisations Museum, Accession Number: 1993-00105  (https://www.roots.gov.sg/Collection-landing/listing/1064849)

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)