Ancient Chinese, Han dynasty Terracotta Mingqi warrior - 46 cm

CHINA, HAN DYNASTY (206 BCE–220 CE) Important funerary figure of a terracotta warrior or guard in polychrome terracotta — Mingqi An interesting and expressive Chinese funerary figure in polychrome terracotta, representing a standing warrior or guard, belonging to the sculptural tradition developed during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE). The figure appears upright and frontal, dressed in a long, wide-sleeved tunic over trousers, preserving significant remnants of its ancient pictorial decoration in dark, cream, and red tones. Notably, a diagonal red band crosses the torso. The right arm is bent and raised, the hand clenched, while the left arm descends along the body. This arrangement indicates that originally the figure would have held weapons, staffs, or other attributes made separately, now lost, a common circumstance in this type of funerary sculpture. The face, deliberately schematic yet expressive, features modestly modeled eyes, nose, and mouth, crowned by a distinctive headdress. These figures, known as mingqi, formed part of the extraordinary funerary universe of Han China. They were placed in the tombs of people of rank to symbolically reproduce in the Afterlife the entourage, servants, and everyday life elements that the deceased had enjoyed. Han funerary sculpture represents one of the great evolutions of ancient Chinese art after the famous Qin army of terracotta: in contrast to the monumentality of that ensemble, Han artists developed numerous figures of guards, soldiers, servants, musicians, animals, and domestic scenes intended to populate authentic underground palaces. Particularly striking is the partial preservation of the original polychromy applied in cold tones, extremely vulnerable after almost two thousand years of burial. Material: terracotta with remnants of polychromy and engobes. Dimensions: 46 × 16 × 10 cm approx. Condition: archaeological state. Shows wear and losses of polychromy, surface deposits and concretions, cracks and fissures, highlighting a wide transverse crack at chest level and shoulders, as well as old joints/repairs. The attributes originally held by the hands have been lost. See photographic documentation in detail. A piece of great presence and considerable size, representative of one of the fundamental chapters of Chinese ancient funerary sculpture.

Estimation:€2,400

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