China - Grand Imperial Standard Bearer - Glazed Terracotta - Sui Dynasty

Male statuette in slipped and glazed terracotta representing an imperial standard-bearer guard of the Sui Dynasty. He is in a ceremonial posture: Body slightly bent forward, right hand folded at the abdomen (gesture evoking the holding of a standard pole), left arm probably positioned to balance the weight. He wears stylized lamellar armor, vertical striations visible under the coat tightened at the waist by a belt falling over trousers, which also fall over a pair of boots. The wide-brimmed headdress corresponds to the "futou" of Sui officers. The clay is glazed and of a "cream" color typical of the Sui period. Very good remains of polychromy. Expertly appraised by Mrs. Alice Jossaume of the Cabinet portier. Origin: China. Period: Sui Dynasty (581-618). Dimensions: Height: 38 cm; width: 12 cm. Condition: Intact posture despite signs of age. The marks of time on the ceramic attest to its thousand-year burial. This exceptional piece, discovered in Henan, illustrates the splendor of the Sui imperial court. Its codified gesture and its regulatory armor reflect the standardization of the army after the reunification of 589. These elite soldiers embodied imperial authority during military parades or ceremonies. Their standard (fān) displayed the emblem of the dragon (symbol of imperial power) and the regulatory colors of the Sui army (black and gold for the personal guard of Emperor Yangdi). The Sui dynasty standardized military insignia after the reunification of China (589 AD), influencing the visual hierarchy of troops, the political use of standards as propaganda tools and rituals legitimizing power (e.g., the Mingtang ceremony). These figurines accompanied high-ranking deceased people to their graves (a custom attested in Daxing, the capital of the Sui). Their presence symbolized the continuity of power in the afterlife and protection against malevolent spirits.