Tang Painted Terracotta Female Figurine

A finely moulded and painted Tang terracotta figurine of a female court lady, portrayed standing with her right hand held to the chest, the standard position for statuettes of court attendant. She is wearing a long robe tied to the waist, resembling the traditional Tang Dynasty court dress known as ruqun, composed of a heavily pleated skirt and long sleeves. Her hair is arranged in an elaborate coiffeur, neatly drawn up in a topknot and gathered in a net at the back of her neck. Her face is covered with white pigment, on which thin, slightly arched eyebrows, narrow eyes and pointed nose have been outlined in black pigment. Light reddish-pink pigment has been applied on her cheeks and her small mouth has been painted in red pigment.