Ancient Chinese

Auction description China – Funerary figure of a court attendant (mingqi) – Han Dynasty, probably Western Han, circa 2nd–1st century BCE. Interesting Chinese funerary figure made in molded terracotta, depicting a standing court attendant, dressed in a long ceremonial cross-collar robe. The figure adopts the solemn, frontal posture characteristic of Han funerary sculpture, with arms held before the abdomen and hands seemingly hidden beneath the wide sleeves. With stylized proportions and markedly vertical, the body extends into a long robe that flares elegantly toward the base. The face shows deliberately sober modeling, with softly defined features and hair indicated by a dark pigment area. Especially attractive is the preservation of traces of the original polychromy, with red pigment observed on the collar of the garment and on a sequence of vertical lines over the sleeves or hands gathered in front of the body. The surface also retains abundant traces of a clear slip preparation, along with earthy deposits and an overall patina coherent with an archaeological piece. The lower part remains hollow and open, revealing the manufacturing process of the figure. It shows surface wear, small losses and chips typical of its age, as well as a lateral crack visible; nevertheless, the distinctive silhouette is preserved in its entirety and it has a very attractive sculptural presence. These figures, known as mingqi (明器), were deposited in the tombs of Chinese elite members to represent the servants and members of the court who would accompany the deceased in the afterlife. Material: molded terracotta with traces of slip and red and black polychromy. Dimensions: 25.5 × 12 × 5 cm. Proposed period: Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE), probably Western Han, circa 2nd–1st century BCE. Condition: good considering age; wear, deposits, losses of polychromy, small flaws and a lateral crack visible in the photographs. Catawiki disclaimer: This object has been dated based on style by the seller. No further tests, such as TL dating, C14 dating, lapidary tests, pigment analysis or radiography scans have been conducted to check the integrity of the piece.

Estimate:£1,433.41

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