Mao Zedong

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Not on display

Artist/Maker	Unknown
Place of origin	China (made)

Figure, moulded in two vertical sections; remains of smoothed mould line still visible down sides. The upraised arm, book and left hand have probably been added as separate sections, and the plinth added; a lot surface finishing also carried out. The figure shows a middle-aged Chairman Mao in a Sun Yatsen-style jacket suit, standing upright with right arm raised in salutation, left hand holding a political tract raised for reading. Porcelain, glazed all over; kiln support marks visible inside unglazed base.

Object details

Category	Figures & Decorative Ceramics
Object type	Figure
Title	Mao Zedong (generic title)
Materials and techniques	Porcelain, glazed Porcelain Glazing
Brief description	Figure, glazed porcelain, China, 1965-1975, Chairman Mao
Physical description	Figure, moulded in two vertical sections; remains of smoothed mould line still visible down sides. The upraised arm, book and left hand have probably been added as separate sections, and the plinth added; a lot surface finishing also carried out. The figure shows a middle-aged Chairman Mao in a Sun Yatsen-style jacket suit, standing upright with right arm raised in salutation, left hand holding a political tract raised for reading. Porcelain, glazed all over; kiln support marks visible inside unglazed base.
Dimensions	Height: 56cm Taken from register
Gallery label	5. FIGURE OF MAO ZEDONG (1893-1976) Made China, 1964-74 Moulded porcelain Given by Mr. Simon Kwan FE.34-1990 The visible presence of Chairman Mao, on lapel badges, posters, massive outdoor statues and smaller indoor images like this underpinned the cult of the personality across the face of China. The collective or anonymous nature of all forms of endeavour was stressed by the state, and the creator of this ubiquitous image remains, as with so much modern Chinese material, firmly and deliberately unknown.
Credit line	Given by Simon Kwan
Object history	Historical significance: The pose of the figure is identical to that used for thousands of monumental concrete statues, raised in City Centres, Universities, factories etc. during the Cultural Revolution, at the height of the personality cult of Chairman Mao.
Subject depicted	Mao
Collection	East Asia Collection
Accession number	FE.34-1990

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Record created	April 10, 2008
Record URL	https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O152496/mao-zedong-figure-unknown/

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