{"product_id":"ancient-chinese-tang-dynasty-terracotta-court-lady-funerary-tomb-figure","title":"Ancient Chinese Tang Dynasty Terracotta Court Lady | Funerary Tomb Figure | Circa 7th – 8th Century CE","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHistorical Context \u0026amp; Origin\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRegion:\u003c\/strong\u003e Northern China\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Molded and hand-finished terracotta with surviving pale slip and traces of pigment\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePeriod:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tang Dynasty, circa 7th–8th Century CE\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDescription\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\nThis ancient Chinese terracotta tomb figure depicts a standing court attendant or court lady dressed in a long, floor-length robe.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\nThe figure assumes a formal frontal posture, with both arms bent forward and the hands concealed within or gathered beneath the voluminous sleeves at the abdomen.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\nThe elongated face is rendered with simplified, softly modelled features, including narrow eyes, a prominent nose, small mouth, and rounded chin. Rising above the head is a tall, curving headdress or elaborate coiffure, a fashionable feature associated with female court figures produced during the Tang Dynasty.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\nThe long robe descends in a nearly columnar form toward the feet, creating the figure’s slender and dignified silhouette. Subtle modelling along the lower sides suggests vertical folds or layered fabric, while the enlarged sleeves form a rounded mass across the front of the body.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\nThe figure stands upon an integral base and was formed as a hollow earthenware sculpture, with an opening visible beneath.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\nIts reddish-orange ceramic body retains extensive remnants of a pale cream or white slip that would originally have served as a foundation for additional painted decoration. Most of the original pigments have disappeared through age and burial, leaving the warm terracotta exposed across portions of the face, clothing, and base.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\nTang tomb figurines frequently represented members of the household, including attendants, officials, musicians, servants, and court ladies intended to accompany the deceased into the afterlife.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeatures\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e- Likely Tang Dynasty court attendant or court lady\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e- Tall curving headdress or elaborate coiffure\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e- Formal standing posture\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e- Hands gathered within the long sleeves\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e- Floor-length court robe\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e- Hollow molded earthenware construction\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e- Reddish-orange terracotta body\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e- Extensive surviving pale slip\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e- Integral base with opening beneath\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCultural Significance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\nDuring the Tang Dynasty, pottery figures were placed within elite and aristocratic tombs to create a symbolic household for the deceased in the afterlife.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\nThese burial figures, commonly known as mingqi, depicted court ladies, attendants, officials, servants, musicians, animals, and foreign visitors, reflecting the prosperity and cosmopolitan character of Tang society.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\nThe elaborate hairstyles, clothing, and postures of female tomb figures also provide valuable evidence concerning Tang court fashion and social customs. Comparable court figures often display tall headdresses or dramatically elevated chignons, long robes, and hands held discreetly within their sleeves in a composed ceremonial posture.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\nThis example’s compact proportions and simplified modelling suggest that it may have formed part of a larger group of attendants made for placement together within a tomb chamber.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\nThe figure remains substantially complete but has undergone considerable age-related deterioration and apparent stabilization or restoration.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\nA prominent vertical crack or separation extends along one side of the figure from the headdress through the head, shoulder, torso, robe, and base. Additional cracks, fissures, and joins are visible throughout, particularly around the head, shoulders, lower robe, and junction between the figure and base.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\nPortions may have been reattached from original fragments.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\nThe base displays a large opening underneath, consistent with hollow manufacture, together with cracking, edge losses, and areas of exposed ceramic fabric.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\nThe surface exhibits extensive loss to the original slip and pigment, mineral deposits, burial accretions, abrasions, scratches, discoloration, small chips, and areas of erosion.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\nThe pale surface coating survives unevenly across the figure, with the underlying orange terracotta visible throughout.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions (Approximate)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\nHeight: 7.5 in\u003cbr\u003e\nWidth: 1.5 in\u003cbr\u003e\nDepth: 1.75 in\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge (Approximate)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\n1,200–1,400 years old\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\nFormerly part of a private Brooklyn, New York, USA collection of antiquities and archaeological objects, assembled over many years with a particular interest in ancient material culture.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLearn More\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eView a related Tang Dynasty court lady tomb figure in the collection of \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.metmuseum.org\/art\/collection\/search\/44800\" title=\"Tang Dynasty Court Lady Tomb Figure – The Metropolitan Museum of Art\"\u003eThe Metropolitan Museum of Art\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eExplore our curated \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/relicandrarity.com\/collections\/ancient-chinese-artifacts-imperial-relics\" title=\"Ancient Chinese Artifacts and Imperial Relics – Relic \u0026amp; Rarity\"\u003eCollection of Ancient Chinese Artifacts \u0026amp; Imperial Relics\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Relic \u0026 Rarity","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54978586149186,"sku":null,"price":525.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0955\/1803\/2194\/files\/Ancient-Chinese-Tang-Dynasty-Terracotta-Court-4882.png?v=1785109166","url":"https:\/\/relicandrarity.com\/fr\/products\/ancient-chinese-tang-dynasty-terracotta-court-lady-funerary-tomb-figure","provider":"Relic \u0026 Rarity","version":"1.0","type":"link"}