Stone Figurines of the Twelve Astrological Emblems: Dog

This pottery figurine has a man’s body and the head of a dog. Wearing a long robe with crossover lapels, he holds his hands before his chest in a polite gesture. His feet are slightly exposed as he stands upon a round pedestal. The drapery of the garments is clearly delineated and given a primitive texture with the natural features of the stone. While most figures of the twelve astrological emblems made during the Tang dynasty (618–907) were fashioned from clay, a limited number of stone figurines of that period have been unearthed in Shaanxi and Beijing. As a result, this figurine is an especially important part of the Museum’s collection.