Ancient Chinese, Han dynasty Terracotta Court lady / funerary assistant in polychrome terracotta, mingqi - 30 cm

China – Funeral figure of an court attendant (mingqi) – Han Dynasty, probably Western Han, circa 2nd–1st century BCE.

Interesting Chinese funerary figure made in molded terracotta, depicting a standing court attendant, dressed in a long ceremonial robe with a cross-collared neckline. The figure adopts the solemn, frontal pose characteristic of Han funerary sculpture, with the arms gathered before the abdomen and the hands apparently hidden beneath the wide sleeves.

With stylized, markedly vertical proportions, the body extends into a long robe that widens elegantly 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 neck of the garment and on a sequence of vertical lines on the sleeves or hands gathered in front of the body. The surface also preserves abundant traces of a pale preparatory layer or slip, along with earthy deposits and a general patina coherent with an archaeological object.

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 lateral crack visible; nonetheless, it retains entirely the characteristic silhouette and a very attractive sculptural presence.

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

Material: molded terracotta with traces of slip and red and black polychromy.
Dimensions: 30 x 10 x 4 cm.
Proposed period: Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE), probably Western Han, circa 2nd–1st century BCE.
Condition: good for its age; wear, deposits, losses of polychromy, small faults 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.