Ancient Chinese, Han dynasty Terracotta Big Warrior. 202 BC – 220 AD. 45,5 cm H.

Figure of a Warrior. Ancient Chinese, Han Dynasty, 202 BC – 220 AD. - nice details - MATERIAL: Terracota and pigments. DIMENSIONS: Height 45,5 cm. PROVENANCE: Private collection Paris, France, from the parisian art market collected since 1960. This man have a very big collection of chinese figures, arround 150 items. CONDITION: Very good condition, see photos, breakline in the right arm and in the right food restored. The Han Dynasty warriors in underlying grey pottery, with much of the original painted pigments remaining. This painting depicts the faces clearly, each of which bears a stern expression. The warriors wear body armour over their thigh-length tunics and shortened trousers. The hands are clenched and have a central hole, which would have formerly held weapons, such as spears or swords. Han ceramic production reached its peak with terracotta moulded zoomorphic and anthropomorphic figures, known in Chinese as mingqi. Such statuettes would have been placed in Chinese graves, to assist, protect and entertain the deceased in the afterlife. Statuettes of oxes pulling carts, such as this fine example, would have been placed in the deceased’s tomb to perform labour in the afterlife. Goods animals used on an estate were expected to carry on such work for their owner even after his death. The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China (206 BC–220 AD) , and its art is notable for aiming to give form to everyday people and objects. It was a period of significant economic growth, and this facilitated discovery and innovation: technical possibilities in the arts increased as a result, enabling artists to push boundaries. The art of the Han dynasty is largely decorative – a shift away from the functional, ritualistic art of the previous Qin dynasty. To discover more about Chinese terracotta statuettes, please visit our relevant blog post: Terracotta Tomb Attendants. Reference: Cf. Catalogue no. 14, page 71; The Quest for Eternity; Chinese Ceramic Sculptures from the People's Republic of China Notes: - The piece includes authenticity certificate. - The piece includes Spanish Export License (Passport for European Union and outsite UE) . - The seller guarantees that he acquired this piece according to all national and international laws related to the ownership of cultural property. Provenance statement seen by Catawiki.