Northern Wei Female Court Attendant – Northern Wei Dynasty – 4th to 6th Century AD A finely modelled Northern Wei terracotta figure depicting a female court attendant standing in a dignified and formal pose. The figure wears long flowing robes with wide sleeves gathered before the body, reflecting the elegant costume traditions of the Northern Wei court. Her serene facial expression, carefully rendered features, and traces of the original polychrome decoration preserve the refined aesthetic associated with aristocratic funerary sculpture of the period. The sculpture retains substantial remains of its original white slip and red pigment, particularly visible on the face, lips, and garments. Such figures were commonly placed in elite tombs to serve and accompany the deceased in the afterlife, illustrating the sophisticated funerary practices that flourished during the Northern Wei Dynasty. The elongated proportions, stylised drapery, and restrained expression are characteristic of Northern Wei artistic conventions and provide an excellent representation of early medieval Chinese ceramic art. Material: Terracotta with traces of original polychromy Dimensions: 19 × 5.5 × 5.5 cm Weight: 267 g Provenance: Acquired in France, from a French private collection formed in the 1970s. All items come with CoA.