Lot Essay
The result of thermoluminescence test, Oxford 766u82, is consistent with the dating of this lot.
The fine features and recessed eyes on the face of this figure suggest that it may have been modelled by hand, giving it an almost lifelike presence, unlike the more common type of Han Dynasty ladies which are formed in moulds.
Although not identical, the present lot can be compared to a group of standing dancers included in the exhibition, Early Chinese Art: 8th century BC - 9th Century AD, Eskenazi, June-July 1995, Catalogue, nos. 33-38, and to a single dancer sold in New York, 18 September 1996, lot 150. Although the postures and long-sleeved garments differ considerably, the fine serene yet concentrated expression, found only on the finest models of the period, is quite similar.
The fine features and recessed eyes on the face of this figure suggest that it may have been modelled by hand, giving it an almost lifelike presence, unlike the more common type of Han Dynasty ladies which are formed in moulds.
Although not identical, the present lot can be compared to a group of standing dancers included in the exhibition, Early Chinese Art: 8th century BC - 9th Century AD, Eskenazi, June-July 1995, Catalogue, nos. 33-38, and to a single dancer sold in New York, 18 September 1996, lot 150. Although the postures and long-sleeved garments differ considerably, the fine serene yet concentrated expression, found only on the finest models of the period, is quite similar.