A PAINTED POTTERY FIGURE OF A DANCING LADY, TANG DYNASTY
China, 618-907. Well modeled, depicted in an animated pose with the body swaying and head tilted to one side. Her right hand raised and the left lowered at her side, both concealed within long billowing sleeves. Dressed in voluminous robes with incised folds, the face with finely painted details, the hair pulled up into two buns.


Provenance
: French trade.

Condition
: Some repairs, fills, and touchups as generally expected from authentic Tang-dynasty excavations. Expected old wear, some losses and cracks, signs of weathering and erosion, encrustations, remnants of ancient pigments. Overall presenting remarkably well.

Weight: 478.9 g
Dimensions: Height 24.3 cm


Dancers
, musicians, acrobats, and other entertainers were popular subjects for the numerous pottery figures buried in tombs. The Tang capital at Chang’an (present-day Xi’an) was cosmopolitan in character, with merchants from most parts of Asia trading there. Dancers and musicians were brought to the capital from central and southern Asia, and especially from the city states along the Silk Route. There was probably competition among the élite as to who had the more exotic musicians and dancers at any one time performing in their households. These ladies may not, however, represent foreigners, as their hair is dressed in Chinese fashion in the mode of the early eighth century, as seen in the wall paintings of the tomb of the Princess Yongtai (see Akiyama et al., Arts of China: Neolithic Cultures to the T'ang Dynasty. Recent Discoveries, 1968, no. 230; and Wenwu, 1964.1, p. 7-33, fig. 10).


Literature comparison:

Compare five closely related pottery figures of dancers, dated to the second half of the 7th century, formerly in the collection of Robert Rousset and now in the Musée Guimet, Paris, object numbers MA 4687, 4292, 4699, 4686, and 4698.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 10 May 2018, lot 967
Price: USD 18,750 or approx.
EUR 21,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A painted pottery figure of a dancing lady, Tang dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the related modeling with similar pose, robe, and hairstyle. Note the size (28.6 cm).


Auction result comparison:

Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 14 September 2019, lot 1370
Price: USD 35,000 or approx.
EUR 38,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Two painted pottery figures of female dancers, Tang dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the related modeling with similar pose and hairstyle. Note the size (28.3 cm) and that the lot comprises a pair.




唐代彩繪舞俑

中國，618-907年。舞女身體搖擺，頭部向一側傾斜，右手舉起，左手垂在身側，兩隻手都藏在長袖裡。身著寬大的長袍，臉上表情生動，頭髮挽成兩個髻。


來源：
法國古玩交易。

品相：
一些修復、填充和修飾，磨損、裂縫、風化和侵蝕的跡象、結殼、顏料的殘留物。

重量：478.9 克
尺寸：高 24.3 厘米


文獻比較：

五件非常相近的七世紀上半葉舞俑，曾於Robert Rousset收藏，現藏於巴黎吉美國立亞洲藝術博物館，館藏編號MA 4687，4292，4699，4686和4698。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2018年5月10日，lot 967
價格：USD 18,750（相當於今日
EUR 21,000
）
描述：唐代彩繪舞俑
專家評論：比較相近的姿勢、長袍和髮型。請注意尺寸(28.6厘米)。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約蘇富比，2019年9月14日，lot 1370
價格：USD 35,000（相當於今日
EUR 38,000
）
描述：唐陶加彩女舞俑兩件
專家評論：比較相近的姿勢和髮型。請注意尺寸(28.3厘米)，以及此為一對。