Description
Pottery vessels in the shape of owls were made since Neolithic times and throughout the Bronze age. These jars in the form of vigilant owls may have provided a tomb occupant with grain in the afterlife. However, the meaning of these mysterious birds and the association of the owl motif with burial sites in China is not fully understood.
Provenance
Purchased by the parents of Yves Bonan, by descent to Yves Bonan, Venice, Italy (1970s–2008); (K.Y. Fine Art, Hong Kong, sold to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph P. Keithley) (2008); Nancy F. and Joseph P. Keithley, Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art (2008–2020); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (2020–)
Accession Number
2020.178
Medium
Amber-brown glazed low-fired pottery
Dimensions
Overall: 19 x 13.8 x 11.8 cm (7 1/2 x 5 7/16 x 4 5/8 in.)
Classification
Ceramic
Credit Line
Nancy F. and Joseph P. Keithley Collection Gift
