Mee Lee

Unknown

Well

private collection

This "Han Dynasty Mermaid Figurine" was made during the Han Dynasty in China (202 BC – 220 AD) and is a remarkable specimen of imaginative and symbolic significance in Han Dynasty pottery figurine art. Han Dynasty figurines not only accompanied the deceased in tombs but also showcased the diverse aspects of social life, fully embodying the ancient people's rich imagination concerning mythology, mythical creatures, and the afterlife.

This pottery sculpture features a unique form, with the upper half presenting a realistic human face that is lively and expressive, while the lower half transforms into a fish tail, with fins and scales clearly defined, and the back adorned with protruding fins. This demonstrates the artisan's exceptional mastery of both animal and human anatomy, as well as a creative fusion of the two. Such mermaid figures in ancient legends often symbolized auspiciousness or protective deities, representing accessibility between land and water, and safeguarding the wellbeing of the afterlife.

The "Han Dynasty Mermaid Figurine" serves not only as an exquisite proof of Han Dynasty artistic aesthetics, religious beliefs, and mythological worlds, but it also provides valuable data for studying the cultural concepts, craftsmanship, and primitive totemic awareness of the society at that time.

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