East Asia, China, Northern Wei Dynasty, ca. 386 to 535 CE. An incredible grayware figure of a standing woman dressed in long, flowing robes with a broad-collared tunic. Her face is naturalistic but not expressive, crowned by 2 large buns reminiscent of Princess Leia. The shape of her robes and her stance are elegant, and well-presented, with impressive details. She stands with her left hand at her side and her right in a fist, with a small perforation in it to hold something - perhaps a flag or fan. A guqin or qin - a traditional musical instrument comprised of 7 strings - is strapped to her back, suggesting she may be a musician. Size: 1.9" W x 7.6" H (4.8 cm x 19.3 cm)

During the Wei period, women had social power through patronage, many of whom were in the imperial court; they were often Buddhists and allied with Buddhist nuns. These women had a complex bureaucracy developed just for them, and their court ranks were almost equal to those of men. Many of these women came from northern tribes, married into the Dynasty to cement relationships and bolster power. This statue may depict one of these powerful women.

Provenance: private Masontown, Pennsylvania, USA, collection, acquired in the 1990s

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#170130

Some light surface wear, commensurate with age. Otherwise, intact and excellent with impressively preserved detail and liberal remains of pigments. Light earthen deposits in recessed areas.