Ancient Chinese, Han dynasty Terracotta Court lady / funerary assistant in polychrome terracotta, mingqi - 22 cm

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

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

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

Especially striking is the preservation of traces of the original polychromy, with red pigment observed on the collar of the garment and on a sequence of vertical lines over the sleeves or hands folded in front of the body. The surface also retains abundant traces of a clear slip layer, along with earthy deposits and a general patina compatible with an archaeological piece.

The lower part remains hollow and open, revealing the fabrication process of the figure. It shows surface wear, small losses and chips typical of its age, as well as a lateral crack; nevertheless, it fully preserves the characteristic silhouette and a very attractive sculptural presence.

These figures, known as mingqi (明器), were placed 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 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 flaws and a lateral crack visible in the photographs.

I would necessarily add on Catawiki, if there is no scientific analysis: “Dating based on stylistic criteria. No thermoluminescence test has been conducted.” This greatly protects the description.


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.