Description
Tang figurines placed in the tombs give a vivid picture of everyday life. Images of elegant ladies in various hairstyles, costumes, and activities suggest the fashion of the time. This example of a plump and flamboyant lady is a common type found in mid-8th-century tombs, especially in the cosmopolitan city of Xi'an. Together with other figurines—court officials, musicians, dancers, hunters, foreign travelers, horses, camels, guardian warriors, and guardian animals—such tomb sculptures accompanied the deceased in the afterlife.
Provenance
Pettingil Collection (?-1959); The Pan-Asian Collection, New York, NY (1959-1981); (Robert H. Ellsworth, Ltd., New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) (1981?-1987); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1987-)
Accession Number
1987.13
Medium
earthenware covered in white slip with traces of pigment
Dimensions
Overall: 43.8 x 16.5 x 12.2 cm (17 1/4 x 6 1/2 x 4 13/16 in.)
Classification
Sculpture
Credit Line
John L. Severance Fund