Minneapolis Institute of Art

Personal seal

China

Date

2nd century

Medium

Gilt bronze

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

A superbly modeled chimera comprises the handle of this tiny square seal whose legend, Chen Shang hsin yi , cast on the reverse in negative seal script, may be translated as the personal seal of Chen Shang. Small undecorated seals are known from the Warring States (480-221 BCE) and Ch'in (221-206 BCE) dynasties while more elaborate animal-shaped knobs were popular during Han as the use of official and personal seals became widespread. Seals with tortoise, chimera, ram, and camel-shaped knobs were popular and have been excavated from Eastern Han tombs. In spite of its extremely small size, the chimera on this example is exceptionally detailed and animated. China, Asia

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