Lot 174
East Asia, China, Tang Dynasty, ca. 618 to 907 CE. A beautiful pottery female tomb attendant draped in an elegant floor-length robe hand-glazed in lustrous Sancai hues of emerald, celadon, and olive. Hidden by her long sleeves, she holds both arms before her with her hands resting together at her slightly protruding abdomen. Her round visage displays slender eyes beneath thick brows, a bulbous nose, and fleshy lips, all crowned by a black coiffure arranged in a sizeable, crested top bun. Size: 3.6" W x 12.2" H (9.1 cm x 31 cm)
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 figures. After a mold was used to form them into basic shapes, artists would then use scrapers and hand-modelling to give them their individuality.
This piece has been tested using thermoluminescence (TL) analysis and has been found to be ancient and of the period stated. A full printed and bound report is available to the buyer upon request.
Provenance: ex-Nancy and Dr. E.F. Simpson collection, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired from 1970 to 2000
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance),
we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
#172202
- Condition: Head reattached. Minor chip to proper right shoulder. Some light surface wear. Otherwise, excellent with impressive remaining pigments and nice craquelure to glaze. TL holes to base and back of head, underneath hair.
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