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

China – Funeral figurine of a court attendant (mingqi) – Han Dynasty, probably Western Han, ca. 2nd century–1st century BCE.

An interesting Chinese funerary figure made in molded terracotta, depicting a court attendant standing, dressed in a long ceremonial cross-collar robe. The figure adopts the solemn frontal posture characteristic of Han funerary sculpture, with the arms held in front of the abdomen and the hands apparently hidden beneath the wide sleeves.

With stylized, markedly vertical proportions, the body extends into a long robe that gracefully widens toward the base. The face features deliberately sober modeling, with softly defined features and hair indicated by a dark-pigmented area.

Especially attractive is the preservation of remnants of the original polychromy, with red pigment observed on the collar of the garment and a succession of vertical lines on the sleeves or hands folded in front of the body. The surface also retains abundant traces of a light preparatory layer or slip, together with earthy deposits and a general patina consistent with an archaeological piece.

The lower part remains hollow and open, showing the manufacturing process of the figure. It shows surface wear, small losses and chips typical of its age, as well as a laterally visible crack; nonetheless it fully preserves the distinctive silhouette and an aesthetically compelling sculptural presence.

These figures, known as mingqi (明器), were deposited in the tombs of members of China's elite to represent the servants and court members who would accompany the deceased in the afterlife.

Medium: molded terracotta with traces of slip and red and black polychromy.
Dimensions: 22 x 5 x 5 cm.
Proposed period: Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE), probably Western Han, circa 2nd–1st century BCE.
Condition: good considering its age; wear, deposits, losses of polychromy, small damages and a lateral crack visible in the photographs.

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