An impressed gray pottery tomb tile, Western Han dynasty

Yamanaka & Company.

Collection of Kate Sturges Buckingham (1858-1937).

Gifted to the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, in memory of her sister Lucy Maud Buckingham (1870-1920) in February 1925 (accession no. 1925.107.038). 

Geometric framing patterns constitute an important yet often overlooked element in the decorative program of Han dynasty tomb bricks. Frequently described by scholars as ‘elephant-eye,’ ‘coin,’ or other geometric motifs, these designs are composed of repeating diamonds, circles, and interlocking linear forms impressed into the clay surface.

These borders were typically impressed using a paddling or stamping technique, though in some cases the patterns were produced by rolling decorative tools across the surface of the damp clay. Many bricks are ornamented on both faces, suggesting that they were intended for use in interior partition walls within tomb chambers, where both sides of the brick would remain visible. In this way, the decorative program extended throughout the architectural space rather than being confined to a single facade.

Arranged in dense and rhythmic repetition, these motifs also appear to have served a subtle optical function. By articulating both horizontal and vertical planes, the geometric patterns may have enhanced the spatial perception of the tomb interior in a trompe-l’œil manner, visually expanding the surfaces and lending the brickwork greater depth and scale than its actual dimensions.

Compare a closely related example, smaller in size, preserved in the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, illustrated on the museum's website (accession no. 35-287/4).