Chinese Han Dynasty Pottery Soldier Figure

East Asia, China, West Han Dynasty, ca. 206 BCE to 8 CE. A large, hand-built ceramic human soldier figure standing nude upon delineated legs. The man has a slender torso with recessed mortises for articulated arms, and his broad shoulders taper to form the sturdy neck. The head exhibits a puffy face with rounded cheeks and brows, and the coiffure is centrally bound in a top knot. Traces of orange and red pigment visible on the legs and head suggest this figure was intricately painted at one time. Soldier figures like this were essential funerary offerings in Han Dynasty tombs. Size: 3.8" W x 26.375" H (9.7 cm x 67 cm)

This figure is of the type from Yangling. Yangling Mausoleum was constructed near Xi'an, Shaanxi province, in central eastern China, which during the Zhou, Qin, Western Han, and Tang dynasties was the eastern end of the Silk Road and home to their ruling houses. The Han Dynasty was a period of wealth and stability for China, and the burial places of their rulers reflected this prosperity. Yangling consisted of two massive burial mounds and contained more than 50,000 miniature terracotta figures who reflected the daily life of the Emperor's court, including warriors clad in full armor, like this figure probably was, servants, eunuchs, animals, and models of important buildings like granaries. The creation of all these pottery figures spawned a huge industry and the remains of workshops have also been found near the burial mounds.

Provenance: private Ventura County, California, USA collection, acquired in the 1980s to 1990s

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#129198
Condition Report: Repaired from multiple pieces, with chips and adhesive residue along break lines, and small losses to areas of legs. Abrasions and nicks to legs, body, and head, with softening to some facial details, some encrustations, and fading to original pigment. Nice earthen deposits and faint remains of original pigment throughout.