Ancient Chinese, Tang Dynasty Terracotta Court lady / funerary assistant in polychrome terracotta, mingqi - 23 cm

China – Tang Dynasty
Female funerary figure / court lady in polychromed terracotta

Elegant Chinese funerary figure made of terracotta, probably representing a court lady or female assistant, belonging to the Mingqi tradition of the Han dynasty.

The figure stands upright, dressed in a long vertical-draped tunic, with arms bent and hands gathered in front of the torso in a ceremonial and respectful posture. The head stands out in particular, with delicately modeled features and a serene expression, topped by a distinctive high hairstyle divided into two lateral volumes, indicative of her female status.

The surface preserves interesting traces of original polychromy, especially reddish pigment on the dress, as well as signs of surface preparation and earthy deposits typical of an archaeological piece.

Figures of this type were made as funerary companions, intended to symbolically reproduce the entourage and daily life of the deceased in the afterlife. They constitute one of the most characteristic manifestations of Han Chinese funerary art.

Material: molded and polychromed terracotta.
Cultural origin: China.
Period attributed: Han Dynasty, 206 BCE–220 CE.
Dimensions: 23 × 5 × 4 cm.

Conservation status: in keeping with the attributed age. General wear, inlays, loss of polychromy, and superficial abrasions. The lower area shows losses and chipping on the base edge. At the junction between head and body there is a line that could correspond to the original construction or an old repair; it is prudent to note this in the condition report. A considerable amount of red pigment is preserved, which is aesthetically positive.

Catawiki disclaimer: This object has been dated based on style by the seller . No further tests, such as, a TL test, C14 test, lapidary tests, analysis of pigments or radiography scans have been conducted to check the integrity of the piece.