Cloud-Shaped Pillow with Peony Scroll (Northern Song dynasty (960–1127), late 10th/early 11th century): Artwork and History

Cloud-Shaped Pillow with Peony Scroll (Northern Song dynasty (960–1127), late 10th/early 11th century) is in the Art Institute of Chicago collection. The museum lists its creator attribution as China.

The work and its context

The Art Institute of Chicago describes the work:

With its sturdy stoneware body and incised and carved decorations, this pillow is an example of Cizhou ware, a type of ceramic crafted in northern China. While ceramic pillows were initially perceived solely as items for burial, it is now believed they were also utilized in daily life. The ceramic material served as an efficient cooling aid during hot summer days, while auspicious decorative motifs made these objects ideal gifts for special occasions. Symbolizing wealth, love, and feminine beauty, the motif of peonies frequently adorns Cizhou pillows, including this one here.

Object facts

• Title: Cloud-Shaped Pillow with Peony Scroll
• Date: Northern Song dynasty (960–1127), late 10th/early 11th century
• Artist attribution: China
• Place of origin: China
• Medium: Cizhou ware; stoneware, slip-coated with underglaze carved, incised, and inlaid decoration
• Dimensions: 9.6 × 21.6 × 17.8 cm (3 3/4 × 8 1/2 × 7 in.)
• Type: Furnishings
• Department: Arts of Asia
• Reference number: 1924.307

Collection credit

Lucy Maud Buckingham Collection

View the original

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The description above is credited to the Art Institute of Chicago and reused under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0; HTML formatting has been converted to plain text. Other catalogue metadata and the public-domain image are provided under CC0 1.0.