China - Courtesan With Falcon - Tang Dynasty - Tl

A seated female figure perfectly embodying the elegance and refinement of Tang dynasty high society. Wearing her hair in a high, meticulously tied double butterfly bun, she presents a face with fine features, imbued with serene interiority and noble distinction. She is seated on a low stool, her bust erect, adopting an attitude of great nobility typical of the ladies of the imperial court. Her feet emerge from the base of her dress, wearing shoes with characteristic straightened spikes. She is dressed in a tight-fitting "high-waisted" gown, tied with a belt under the chest, typical of the early Tang period. The long, narrow sleeves emphasize the slender silhouette in vogue at the time. On her right fist rests a prey bird (falcon or hunting bird of prey) enhanced with a green glaze. Falconry, a sport of prestige and social distinction strongly influenced by Central Asian cultures via the Silk Road, testifies to the exceptional rank and privileged status of this court lady. The statuette retains a remarkable amount of its original decoration, precious evidence of the polychromy of the period. A white slip base covers the entire low-fired terracotta body. The patterns on the dress and hair reveal significant traces of cold-applied black pigments, creating delicate details on the fabric. Highlights of vermilion pigments underline the V-neckline of the dress and the details of the bird of prey. The bird features drips of a green lead glaze, a technique characteristic of the transition and blossoming of the famous Sancai palette (three colors) under the Tang.

Origin:China.
Era:Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.C.) - Thermoluminescence test.
Dimensions:Height:28 cm; Length: 11 cm; Width: 11 cm
Conditions:Presence of a natural excavation patina with earthy concretions, visually attesting to its long burial stay.
Provenance:Private French collection.