‘ZHENMUSOU’, TOMB PROTECTIVE CREATURE

Description The sculpture is composed of four parts, mounted using tenons and mortises: a massive square base, a shaft that schematically depicts the body and head of the zhenmushou, and two deer antlers. The first two parts were carved from a single block of wood. The sculpture is painted with black ink and lacquer mixed with cinnabar or other pigments (used mostly for decorative elements). The horns of the zhenmushou fit into two holes on the sides of the head. They are smooth, with the tips painted red, decorated at the base of the bifurcations with mixtilinear motifs similar to those found on the plinth of the sculpture.