The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of October 4, 2023

Kneeling Boy, Fragment

1500s

China, Ming dynasty

(1368–1644)

Ivory

Overall: 11 cm (4 5/16 in.)

Bequest of Mrs. Severance A. Millikin 1989.329

Location

not on view

Description

In the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), luxury items became more affordable to larger parts of the society, including women, merchants, and literati in non-official positions. Imperial patronage and a growing urban population encouraged consumption of luxury goods and local craftmanship. This ivory illustrates the superb carving skills and the creative mind of the skilled artisan who sought clients on a competitive market.

Provenance
?–1967
(Spink and Son, Ltd., London, UK, sold to Severance and Greta Millikin)
1967–-1989
Severance A. [1895–1985] and Greta [Marguerite Steckerl] Millikin [1903–1989], Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art
1989–
The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
Citations
Catalogue of the Severance and Greta Millikin Collection. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1990. Mentioned and Reproduced: p. 90, no. 171 and pl. 26
Exhibition history

The Severance and Greta Millikin Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 5-September 2, 1990).

China through the Magnifying Glass: Masterpieces in Miniature and Detail. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (December 11, 2022-February 26, 2023).

Source URL: https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1989.329