A Chinese Han Dynasty hollow-moulded grey pottery figure of a musician. The figure is shown kneeling, dressed in the characteristic manner of the Western Han, with headdress and wearing a typical wrap-over outer robe, whilst holding and blowing into some sort of musical wind instrument.
Han Dynasty: Circa 202 BC-220 AD.
Condition: Complete; much of the original white slip with some orange pigmentation remaining; a few light earthy accretions.
Height 19 cms (7.5 ins).
Provenance: Ex London gallery; previously in a 1990's UK West Country collection.
NB. This item is available at lower cost if purchased as one of a pair (see last item in this update).
The Han dynasty was an age of great economic, technological, cultural, and social progress in China Figures such as this were often placed in the tombs of the wealthy, usually depicting everyday objects and people, like dancers, court attendants, and servants. Mingqi figurines of dancers and musicians would have been placed in the tomb with the deceased to ensure company and entertainment.