Object Description
An extremely fine and well-preserved matching pair of moulded terracotta slender and elegant female court attendants or dancers, dating to the Chinese Tang Dynasty. Each figure is portrayed standing, wearing a sumptuous tight-fitted court attire, and an elaborate coiffeur composed of a double-loop, coiled chignon. The up-turned cloud-toe shoes appear projecting beneath the flaring skirt. The raised fingers might indicate that the figures are presented mid dancing. Facial features are sensitively rendered, with eyes and eyebrows emphasized by black pigment, while lips and cheeks are painted in red, following the makeup trends of the Tang court. The original white, red and black pigments are still perfectly visible to the statuettes’ surface. Such colours would have been applied after firing, with the result that they would have been more prone to flaking. However, in this case, the original colours have preserved themselves extremely fine, maintaining part of their original brightness.
N.B. This item will require additional postage charges after checkout due to weight and size.
Date: Circa 618-906 AD
Period: Tang Dynasty