A Chinese Qing Dynasty terracotta figure of a female attendant standing on a domed circular base. The figure is holding a long narrow shawl called pibo(披帛) or peizi(帔子)with her left hand while the rest of the fabric drapes over her shoulder. Her right hand is resting on her hip. She is dressed in navy and turquoise court robes with her hair done up with an orange-red hair band in the iconic high bun hairstyle. She also wears a headband called the mo'e(抹额) across her forehead. Her facial features are rendered delicately, with finely engraved eyes and eyebrows in black pigment, with lips and ears in orange-red pigment. A chip to the right elbow and other minor signs of deterioration consistent with age. Such figurines were made as burial objects and grave goods to be placed in the tomb, often as a larger group forming a precession for the deceased. Figures of this type are called mingqi in Chinese and usually depict servants, officials, soldiers, musicians, court attendants, dancers and, in the case of animals, horses, and Bactrian camels. Tomb figures like these were popular among people of high social status during the Qing Dynasty, as they are believed to accompany the tomb owner into their afterlife, waiting to fulfil the desires and needs of the deceased. Measurements: Circa H 22.5 cm x W 9 cm Provenance: Private UK collection, brought from a West country collection in 1990’s. Catawiki disclaimer: This piece has been dated based on style by the seller . No further tests, such as, a TL test, analysis of pigments or radiography scans have been conducted to check the integrity of the piece.