Group of three ceramic mingqi mortuary or spirit tomb figures in sancai green and ochre glazes, possibly Ming dynasty. In the form of court officials with tall, brimmed hats in loosely fitting robes. Each figure stands upon a hexagonal base.

Provenance: From the Estate of C. Curtis "Curt" Dunnavan, Long Lake, Minnesota.

C. Curtis "Curt" Dunnavan (1926-2022) was a passionate world traveler and avid collector. It was through his travels that he was inspired to begin a lifelong relationship with the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia), becoming a major sponsor of the institute and facilitating the growth of their Asian art department, which is now one of the best in the country. His generous donations to Mia allowed them to establish a fund for the Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer, one of the few endowed positions of this type in the museum field. He additionally served as a trustee of the institute, advocating for its operational growth. In its turn, the museum established a gallery named in his honor in recognition for his endowment fund and numerous contributions to their collection. The selections here showcase his talent and breadth of collecting, ranging from ancient statues to 19th-century woodblock prints. His appreciation for art persisted throughout his life and we are honored to offer items from his collection in this auction.
Each, height: 15 1/2 in x width: 4 1/4 in x depth: 5 in.

Heavy wear throughout consistent with age. All the heads have had the polychrome touched up in one or more places. There are losses to the glazing throughout, visible in the lot listing. One of the pair of figures has an iridescent sheen to the glaze. Crazing to the glazes. Some light accretions throughout. Along the bases of all the figures there are small chips. Some small chips and minute cracks along the necks. Some small chips to the heads.