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Money tree with bear-shaped stand

  • China
Money tree with bear-shaped stand
2nd-3rd century CE
Bronze, beige earthenware, pigments, turquoise inlays
Cb/32.D
138,4 x 76 cm
Funerary furnishings
Provenance: Sichuan
The trunk of the coin tree fits into a vertical hole above the bear's head, sitting with its front legs resting on its knees and its head bowed. This is characterized by small ears, an elongated snout with two furrows on the nose and an open mouth, but above all by eyes made up of two pieces of turquoise. The trunk of the tree is adorned with incised waves and has, at regular intervals, four rings with four housings each for inserting branches. The miniature depictions present are analogous to those encountered on the branches of the tree, with the predominance of human characters on multiple levels, engaged in different activities. The tree is overhung by a large bird (zhuque), its ornamental feather curved forward on its head and its flat tail stretched out like a curved triangle. It is also equipped with two spread, removable wings, from which two small ornaments in the shape of bells and fish are hanging.