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Source Description
During the Song dynasty (960–1279), objects for daily use in both the imperial palace and ordinary homes, including pillows, were commonly ceramic. Sleeping on a hard ceramic pillow may not seem as comfortable as a soft stuffed pillow, however, ceramic pillows were believed to encourage a better sleeping position for the body. Additionally, sleeping on a hard pillow helped to maintain intricate hairstyles worn by women of the upper and middle classes during the Song.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
27524
label
Pillow in the Shape of a Lion
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
7
Source metadata
id
27524
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Pillow in the Shape of a Lion
description
During the Song dynasty (960–1279), objects for daily use in both the imperial palace and ordinary homes, including pillows, were commonly ceramic. Sleeping on a hard ceramic pillow may not seem as comfortable as a soft stuffed pillow, however, ceramic pillows were believed to encourage a better sleeping position for the body. Additionally, sleeping on a hard pillow helped to maintain intricate hairstyles worn by women of the upper and middle classes during the Song.
provenance
Dr. John C. Ferguson Collection Sale, American Art Association, New York, April 7, 1916, no. 143; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1916, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
12th century (Song dynasty)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Ceramics
pillows
imageCount
7
pageCount
7
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
13.5
height
29.6
depth
15
dimensionsRaw
H: 5 5/16 × W: 11 5/8 × D: 5 7/8 in. (13.5 × 29.6 × 15 cm)
Source extras
cul
Chinese
dynasty
Song dynasty
med
Stoneware ceramic, glaze, underglaze iron brown (cizhou)
creator_ids
6238
collection_ids
CHN
exhibition_ids
2514
Page inventory
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photo
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photo
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photo
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photo
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photo
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photo
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type
photo
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63c7433108731b33
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no