Circa 618-907 AD Modelled in the form of a ‘fat lady’, this terracotta figure has been formed from a fine clay terracotta, her face skilfully formed, her eyes with a serene expression, lips, nose, and eyebrows have been delicately painted with a careful hand, her makeup painted according to the fashions of the time, with a white painted face, red rose-like cheeks, and blood red lips. Her head featuring a framed coiffure in a high chignon. She is bulbous, almost globular in shape, gently swaying to one side, wearing a long-stylised courtier loose robe painted in yellow, with green sleeves, showing deeply naturalistically incised folds, her arms are folded, and the hands secretly hidden by the long sleeves of her dress. The dress flaring near the bottom, providing a gentle glimpse of two pointed shoes on each corner. This piece has been precisely dated by means of a Thermo Luminescence analysis carried out by Oxford Authentication. The samples collected date the piece to the period reflected in its style, whilst also showing no modern trace elements. The TL certificate with its full report will apany this lot. Size: L:480mm / W:115mm; 3.1kg Provenance: East Anglian private collection; formerly acquired in the early 1990s in Hong Kong.