Pillow with a falcon attacking a swan 1050 - 1350

This Chinese pillow, made of white porcelain with underglaze black decoration, depicts a falcon attacking a swan amidst a landscape of reeds and grasses. The scene is painted in a simplified, almost cartoon-like style, with bold lines and strong contrasts between the black and white. Produced in the Zhang family workshop during the Song dynasty, it was likely used as a decorative element in a wealthy Chinese home. The pillow’s dimensions are L. 16 1/8 in. (41 cm); H. 6 1/8 in. (15.5 cm); D. 11 3/4 in. (29.8 cm) and it can be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.