Court Lady Figure. Tang Dynasty. (618-907) Height 36.8 cm This piece represents a female figure commonly known as a "Court Lady." Court Ladies are a testament to the ideal of beauty and the importance of women in the courtly culture of the Tang Dynasty. The figure depicts a woman in a serene and formal posture, with her hands crossed in a position that conveys calm and elegance. She wears a simple yet voluminous garment characteristic of the feminine fashion of the time, emphasizing the preference for a robust figure, considered the ideal of beauty. She features an elaborate hairstyle, a distinctive element of court ladies, which varied according to the fashions of the Tang era. The figure is made of ceramic and shows traces of polychromy. The function of these figures was funerary, as they were placed in tombs as symbolic elements to accompany and serve the deceased in the afterlife. The Tang era in Chinese history is considered a golden age. It witnessed the flourishing of culture, economy, diplomacy, and politics under a unified government. Provenance: From a private collection (Bath, United Kingdom; 1990s). The piece is accompanied by an import declaration from the Spanish Ministry of Culture (not subject to export fees). The supplier warrants that he obtained this lot legally. Provenance statement seen by Catawiki. Important information. The seller guarantees that he is entitled to ship this lot. The seller will take care that any necessary permits will be arranged. The seller will inform the buyer about this if this takes more than a few days. Important: For destinations out of Spanish territory: all our objects will be shipped after obtaining CERTIFICATE OF EXPORTATION by Ministry of Culture of Spain. We inform our clients that it may take between 4-8 weeks. Catawiki disclaimer: This object has been dated based on style by the seller . No further tests, such as, a TL test, lapidary tests, analysis of pigments or radiography scans have been conducted to check the integrity of the piece.