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Lot Essay
This finely modeled figure displays a two-dimensional quality, with the front of the figure modeled and carved in the round, while the back is left flat and incised with simple details. This two-dimensionality is combined with symmetry and angular lines, which are seen in other grey pottery figures of the Northern Wei period, as well as in gilt-bronze, Buddhist figures of early sixth century date, such as the figure of Buddha illustrated by A. Juliano in Art of the Six Dynasties, China Institute in America, New York, 1975, no. 49, which also displays the same gentle smile seen on the present figure, a smile characteristic of Northern Wei figures.
The present figure represents an official wearing armor over his usual court attire, which is exemplified by the figure of an official illustrated by A. Juliano in Bronze, Clay and Stone: Chinese Art in the C. C. Wang Family Collection, Seattle/London, 1988, pl. 33. The short tunic, full pants tied at the knees and the court cap of this figure, and the present figure, are similar to those of three figures of officials from the tomb of Yuan Shao, dated AD 528, near Luoyang, Henan province, one illustrated by Juliano in the Appendix, no. 33. Figures of officials wearing armor and holding a sword, however, appear to be rare. Two larger figures have been published: one (87.6 cm.) by R. L. Thorp and V. Bower, Spirit and Ritual: The Morse Collection of Ancient Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1982, no. 24, the other (43 cm.) in Mayuyama, Seventy Years, Tokyo, 1976, pl. 158. The armor of all three figures consists of a breastplate and back plate with angular corners. The corners of the backplate on the present figure have a more pronounced flare than those of the backplates of the other two figures, which is very well illustrated in line drawings by E. Schloss in Ancient Chinese Ceramic Sculpture from Han Through T'ang, 2 vols., Stamford, Connecticut, 1977, vol. I, p. 138, no. 7, which emphasize the angularity of the outlines of the armor.
The result of Oxford thermoluminescence test no. 366h93 is consistent with the dating of this lot.
The present figure represents an official wearing armor over his usual court attire, which is exemplified by the figure of an official illustrated by A. Juliano in Bronze, Clay and Stone: Chinese Art in the C. C. Wang Family Collection, Seattle/London, 1988, pl. 33. The short tunic, full pants tied at the knees and the court cap of this figure, and the present figure, are similar to those of three figures of officials from the tomb of Yuan Shao, dated AD 528, near Luoyang, Henan province, one illustrated by Juliano in the Appendix, no. 33. Figures of officials wearing armor and holding a sword, however, appear to be rare. Two larger figures have been published: one (87.6 cm.) by R. L. Thorp and V. Bower, Spirit and Ritual: The Morse Collection of Ancient Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1982, no. 24, the other (43 cm.) in Mayuyama, Seventy Years, Tokyo, 1976, pl. 158. The armor of all three figures consists of a breastplate and back plate with angular corners. The corners of the backplate on the present figure have a more pronounced flare than those of the backplates of the other two figures, which is very well illustrated in line drawings by E. Schloss in Ancient Chinese Ceramic Sculpture from Han Through T'ang, 2 vols., Stamford, Connecticut, 1977, vol. I, p. 138, no. 7, which emphasize the angularity of the outlines of the armor.
The result of Oxford thermoluminescence test no. 366h93 is consistent with the dating of this lot.