Court Lady

8th century

North China

Earthenware with multicolored lead glazes and traces of pigment (sancai ware)

H. 14 1/8 x W. 5 3/4 x D. 5 1/8 in. (35.9 x 14.6 x 13 cm)

Asia Society, New York: Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection, 1979.113

Provenance

John D. Rockefeller 3rd, New York, NY; acquired from Eskenazi, Ltd., London in 1971.

The Asia Society, New York, NY, bequest of John D. Rockefeller 3rd, New York, NY, 1979.

Licensing inquiries

The abundant use of glaze colored with cobalt blue in a dress worn by a seated figure of a court lady holding cymbals helps to distinguish this piece as a luxurious example of Tang sancai. Sancai is a Chinese term that refers to wares coated with three colors of glazes. Cobalt, which was imported to China from Iran, was expensive and used sparingly. Both the high-waisted dress worn by the figure and her youthful charm typifies sculptures of women produced during the late 7th century. The two-tone decoration of her high-waisted dress was also fashionable during this period. Both the amber and the blue parts of the gown are decorated with various-sized spots of unglazed clay created by the resist process. There are traces of pigment on her face and hair.