Ancient Chinese

China – Mingqi funerary figure of court attendant – Han Dynasty, probably Western Han, ca. 2nd century BCE–1st century BCE. Interesting Chinese funerary figure made in molded terracotta, representing a standing court attendant, dressed in a long ceremonial cross-collar robe. The figure adopts the solemn, frontal pose typical of Han funerary sculpture, with arms gathered in front of the abdomen and the hands apparently hidden beneath the wide sleeves. Elaborately stylized and markedly vertical, the body extends into a long robe that gracefully widens toward the base. The face features deliberately sober modeling, with softly defined features and hair indicated by a dark pigment area. Especially attractive is the preservation of remnants of the original polychromy, with red pigment observed on the collar of the garment and on a sequence of vertical lines across the sleeves or hands folded in front of the body. The surface also retains abundant traces of a light preparatory coating or slip, together with earthy deposits and a general patina consistent with an archaeological artifact. The lower part remains hollow and open, showing the manufacturing process of the figure. It shows surface wear, small losses and chips typical of its age, as well as a lateral crack; nevertheless, it retains entirely its characteristic silhouette and a very attractive sculptural presence. These figures, known as mingqi (明器), were placed in the tombs of Chinese elites to represent the servants and court members who would accompany the deceased in the afterlife. Material: molded terracotta with traces of slip and red and black polychromy. Dimensions: 32X11X5 cm. Proposed period: Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE), probably Western Han, circa 2nd–1st century BCE. Condition: good considering its age; wear, deposits, losses of polychromy, small flaws and lateral crack visible in photographs. Catawiki disclaimer: This object has been dated based on style by the seller. No further tests, such as a TL test, C14 test, lapidary tests, analysis of pigments or radiography scans have been conducted to check the integrity of the piece.

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