Lot 42A
East Asia, China, Tang Dynasty, ca. 618 to 907 CE. A terracotta tomb attendant depicting a female dressed in long robes and standing with her hands in fists - one above the other - perhaps holding an offering in front of her. On her head is a conical headdress or crown. Hundreds of pottery figures like this one were carefully placed in the tombs of high-ranking people during the Tang period; one of the most interesting things about them is that they often seem to represent individuals. The Tang Dynasty was a golden age in China, when its control of oases along the Silk Road allowed both the export of Chinese goods and the import of people and ideas from places like India, Persia, and even further afield. The capital city, Changan (modern day Xian) had 2 million inhabitants, making it one of the largest cities in the world at the time, and there was a large class of literati and artisans supported by the government who lived there. This artisan class had the luxury to produce these beautiful unique figures. After a mold was used to form figures like this into basic shapes, artists would then use scrapers and hand-modelling to give them their individuality. Size: 10.125" H (25.7 cm)
Provenance: private New York, USA collection
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#125303
- Condition: Surface wear with pigment losses as shown, but some red and white pigment remains. Losses to peripheries of base. Two wooden sticks have been attached to back of base for stability.
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