Two large and rare pottery figures of court ladies


Tang Dynasty The elegant figures standing on a flat base, dressed in long and colourful robes interspersed with red roundels falling into multiple folds to emphasise the graceful sway of the body, the long sleeves concealing their hands, the faces, gracefully modelled with full cheeks, crisply carved mouth and elongated eyes, framed by a similar coiffure drawn up into a overhanging chignon, both figures covered in white slip with traces of sky blue, sea green and coral red pigments. 59.3cm (23 3/8in) and 58cm (23 5/8in) high. (2).
|The Property of a Gentleman 士紳藏品唐 陶胎彩繪仕女俑一對Provenance: Susan Chen (Fine Arts Consultant) Ltd., Hong Kong, 14 December 1998Gisèle Croës Arts D'Extreme Orient, BrusselsJean-Yves Ollivier CollectionExhibited, Published and Illustrated: Brussels Oriental Art Fair, Vol.3, Brussels, 6-10 June 2007, pp.14-15來源：香港古董商陳淑珍女士，1998年12月14日布魯塞爾古董商吉賽爾藝廊歐宗易先生珍藏展覽、出版及著錄：2007年6月6日至10日期間於比利時「Brussels Oriental Fair（布魯塞爾東方藝術展）」展出，《圖錄》，卷3，2007年，頁14-15Gracefully rendered, the elegant ladies wear loose gowns with long sleeves and sport elaborate coiffures which reflected the fashion of the time. The plumpness of the body, conveyed by the full cheeks, dimpled chins and broad chests, is often found in pottery figures and tomb frescoes dating from the 8th century. These features may well have been influenced by the full-figured concubines of Emperor Xuanzong (r. 713-756). The sedentary lifestyle and the greater availability and variety of food delicacies, imported from neighbouring countries, must have prompted an increase in weight among the high-ranking members of Tang society. 'There is nothing that cannot be eaten', declared a Tang general in the 8th century. Golden peaches from Samarkand graced the tables of the emperor and his favourites; pistachios, imported from Persia, started to be grown in Southeast China by the 9th century. High-quality pine seed and ginseng roots originating from Korea were also available and mangoes were imported from Southeast Asia. The emperors hosted great feasts for the members of their household, which required several meal supervisors and cooks to manage the delicacies that were sent as tributes to the Court. According to surviving literary records, in 644, 768 and 826 the Court served thousands of officers as well as numerous court ladies and members of the imperial family.The size, facial features, treatment of the robes, and the hairstyle of the present figures are similar to those displayed on a pottery figure, Tang dynasty, illustrated in the Los Angeles County Museum Exhibition, The Quest for Eternity. Chinese Ceramic Sculptures from the People's Republic of China, Los Angeles County Museum, 1987, no.83, p.139.A similar pottery figure of a lady, Tang dynasty, was sold at Christie's New York, 19-20 September 2013, lot 1255. Another similar example was sold at Sotheby's London, 9 June 2004, lot 77.The results of Oxford Authentication Ltd. thermoluminescence test no.C106k1 and C106k2, dated 28 April 2006, is consistent with the dating of this lot.兩件侍女俑形態裝飾頗似，髮髻高結而前傾，梳攏如蓋，面型飽滿，敷桃紅粉，描彎鉤眉，鳳眼，櫻唇，神色安然，較高者身著翠色圓領袍，上點紅花，一手探前，一手拂袖，腰繫黑帶，腳蹬線鞋；略矮者內著交領白袍，外繫高胸月白色袍，上點紅花，腳著翹頭履。此二侍女所著服履皆為唐代流行式樣，其豐盈體態之美，亦為玄宗以來之風尚。洛杉磯縣立博物館曾展出一件唐代侍女俑，無論尺寸、面部、服飾，還是髮型皆和本拍品類似，見《The Quest for Eternity. Chinese Ceramic Sculptures from the People's Republic of China（尋求永恆·中華人民共和國之陶瓷塑像）》，洛杉磯，1987年，編號83，頁139。佳士得紐約2013年19日-20日售出一件相似的唐代彩繪侍女俑可資參考，拍品1255號；倫敦蘇富比2004年6月9日售出一件類似侍女俑亦可比較，拍品77號。Oxford Authentication Ltd公司熱釋光檢測結果（2006年4月28日，編號C106k1及C106k2）顯示年代與本拍品年代一致。