A Chinese Qing Dynasty terracotta glazed figure of a female attendant standing on a domed base. She is holding a traditional Chinese string instrument, the liuqin 柳琴 in her left hand. She is dressed in navy and turquoise robes with her hair tied up in an elaborate high-bun style. Her facial features are rendered delicately, with finely painted eyes, eyebrows, lips and ears in black pigment, with lips and ears in orange-red pigment. She wears a decorative headband called mo'e (抹额). Such figurines were made as burial objects and grave goods to be placed in the tomb, often as a larger group forming a precession for the deceased. Figures of this type are called mingqi in Chinese, and usually depict servants, officials, soldiers, musicians, court attendants, dancers and, in the case of animals, horses, and Bactrian camels. Tomb figures like these were popular among people of high social status during the Qing Dynasty, as they are believed to accompany the tomb owner into their afterlife, waiting to fulfil the desires and needs of the deceased. Measurements: Circa H 22.5 cm x W 8.5cm Provenance: Private UK collection, brought from a West country collection in 1990’s. Catawiki disclaimer: This piece has been dated based on style by the seller . No further tests, such as, a TL test, analysis of pigments or radiography scans have been conducted to check the integrity of the piece.