Ancient Chinese, Han dynasty Terracotta Court lady / funerary assistant in polychrome terracotta, mingqi - 28 cm

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

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

With stylized, markedly vertical proportions, the body extends into a long robe that flares elegantly toward the base. The face features deliberately sober modeling, with softly defined features and hair indicated by an area of dark pigment.

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

The bottom part remains hollow and open, revealing the manufacturing process of the figure. It shows surface wear, small losses and losses of polychromy typical of its age, as well as a lateral crack; nevertheless, it retains the characteristic silhouette and a highly attractive sculptural presence.

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

Material: molded terracotta with traces of engobe 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 age; wear, deposits, losses of polychromy, small faults and a lateral crack visible in 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.