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| 27 A fine and rare painted pottery figure of a lady Western Han period Height: 12 5/8 in, 32 cm the slender young woman stands with her hands hidden in the voluminous sleeves of her tightly fitting robe, which flares at her feet to form a long and elegant fish-tail train. Her head is covered with a scarf, closely fitting about her face and chin and falling down her shoulders. Her face is delicately modelled and her features bear a serene expression. The grey pottery is painted white with original red pigment to the neck and sleeves. |
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This dating is consistent with Oxford Authentication’s report C97s16. For an example excavated from the site of Han dynasty Chang’an, see Berger and Casler, Tomb Treasures from China: The Buried Art of Ancient Xi’an, no. 26, pp. 46-7, where it is noted “The carefully balanced proportions and graceful contour lines of this exquisite female figure epitomize the distinctive features of the Han sculptural tradition.” This subject is also known in jade: for a pair of small Han figures, see Lion-Goldschmidt and Moreau-Gobard, Chinese Art, no. 80, p. 115. |
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