A RARE PAINTED POTTERY FIGURE OF A SEATED COURT LADY

TANG DYNASTY

Details
A RARE PAINTED POTTERY FIGURE OF A SEATED COURT LADY
Tang Dynasty
Seated in an unusually relaxed pose similar to lalitasana with the foot of the right leg drawn up under the knee of the pendent left leg, her arms raised and the left hand held in front of her body, wearing loose, concealing robes, her round face with its delicate features framed by the stiff projecting wings of her elaborate coiffure, with traces of pink, black and white pigments
15in. (38.2cm.) high, lucite stand

Lot Essay

This figure, with its well-modeled details, raised arms and seated position with one leg drawn up under the knee of the other, is very unusual and there appear to be no comparable examples published

However, for a standing "fat lady" with a similar "side-bun" hairdo and delicately modeled features, excavated from Xi'an, see Zhongguo Gudaishi Cankao Tulu, Sui, Tang Wudai Shiqi (An Illustrated Reference of Ancient Chinese History, The Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties Periods), Shanghai, 1990, p. 225, top left

The more commonly found models of seated court ladies are usually sancai-glazed figures seated on stools or rockwork with a book, mirror, bird or other small object held in the hands, such as the example in the Museum of Far East Antiquities, Stockholm, illustrated by Masahiko Sato in Sekai Toji Zenshu, vol. 11, Tokyo, 1976, no. 61

The result of Oxford Authentication Ltd. thermoluminescence test no. C97c88 is consistent with the dating of this lot