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During the Tang Dynasty, restrictions were
placed on the number of objects that could be
included in tombs, an amount determined by an
individual's social rank. In spite of the
limitations, a striking variety of tomb
furnishings, known as mingqi, have been
excavated. Entire retinues of ceramic figures -
animals, entertainers, musicians, guardians -
were buried with the dead in order to provide for
the afterlife. Of the various types of mingqi,
there is perhaps none more charming than the
beautiful sculptures of elegant female courtiers,
sometimes known as “Fat Ladies” for their fleshy
faces. These gorgeous women reflect the
appreciation of the female form during the Tang
Dynasty. Such courtiers are described in the
numerous love poems written during this era,
considered a golden age of Chinese culture.
In this example, the lady-in-waiting is seated on
a horse. Considerable traces of the original
polychromy remain, in particular a dark pigment
has been used to indicate the saddle and the
reins. The status of the rider is indicated by the
delicate floral motifs which adorn her long-
sleeved dress. The hair is fashionably arranged in
an elaborate coiffure. Such women may represent
wives, princesses, or attendants. Their beauty
inspires us as we are transported back to another
time. This gorgeous sculpture has been to the
next world and returned to our modern era to
tell us her tale. She speaks of the enormous
wealth and sophisticated culture of the Tang
Dynasty, one of the greatest periods of artistic
creation in human history.
- (DL.2094)
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