Han Dynasty Court Attendant Fragment

A Chinese Han Dynasty terracotta fragment of a female court attendant, elegantly portrayed with the typical Han Dynasty features. The figure retains the original pink, red and black pigments, which would have been applied to the figure after firing, with the result that the paint would have been more prone to flaking. They enhance the attendant’s facial features: the slender nose and almond eyes, the plump lips raised in a serene smile. Her hair is carefully drawn back from the face and fall behind her shoulders, where it would have been arranged in a long, low ponytail. The fragment would have been part of a tall hollow terracotta statuette, dressed in the traditional Eastern Han Dynasty court attire, known as the shenyi.