Toad (386–534 CE): Art, History and Details

Toad (386–534 CE) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

In China, access to political power was granted to those who passed the civil service examinations, a system that offered official service only at a high level of education. Chinese literati-officials whose daily routine was administrative work in an office, enjoyed precious objects on their writing desks that offered distraction and demonstrated good taste. By the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties, these utensils of the literati studio became also collectibles and were treasured as artworks. Desk objects included paper weights, like this bronze frog, seals, seal paste boxes, brush rests, wrist rests, brush holders, water droppers, ink cakes, miniature mountains, and albums, all ranging in material from jade, gilt bronze, lacquer, and wood to porcelain.

Object facts

• Title: Toad
• Date: 386–534 CE
• Culture: China, Six Dynasties period (317-581), Northern Wei dynasty (386-534)
• Type: Sculpture
• Technique: gilt bronze
• Dimensions: Overall: 5 cm (1 15/16 in.)
• Collection: China - Northern Dynasties
• Department: Chinese Art
• Accession number: 1977.208

Collection credit

Gift of Herbert F. Leisy in memory of his wife, Helen Stamp Leisy

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.