Pomegranate Offering Fruit

Alongside spiritual icons and incense burners, altars used for ancestor worship were ritually laden with offerings of food and ripe fruits. Known as an offering fruit, this ceramic pomegranate would have been used as an evergreen alternative to fresh fruits during cold seasons. The pomegranate, with its many seeds, is a common motif in Chinese art and symbolizes hope for a large and prosperous family. Dated to the early 20th century, the pomegranate figurine is brushed with vibrant green and purple glaze and adds a wonderful pop of color to a bookcase or table arrangement.