A painted Pottery figure of a lady Tang dynasty

the slender figure standing with hands clasped below her chest, holding the sash of her long robe, the elegant high-bodiced attire painted in red and orange, the pleats accentuated by traces of green pigment, bound by an orange sash tied around her lower hips, her well-modeled face demurely averted, left unpainted save for a vibrant red on the lips, her hair pulled up in two elaborately-shaped topknots parted at the center

Sotheby's New York, 7th December 1983, lot 145.
Thereafter with the present owners.

The figure is in good overall condition with ample traces of orange-red on her garment, with faint traces of green. The colors are fairly consistent with the catalogue image.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Figures of the same model are included in the Cologne Museum, illustrated by Carl Hentze, Chinese Tomb Figures: A Study in the Beliefs and Folklore of Ancient China, London, 1928, pl. 61A; and the Royal Ontario Museum, illustrated in Jane Gaston Mahler, The Westerners Among the Figurines of the T'ang Dynasty, Rome, 1959, pl. XVI, center. Compare also the two figures illustrated by Ezekiel Schloss, Ancient Chinese Ceramic Sculpture from Han through Tang, Conn., 1977, vol. II, pl. 120A, in the same pose as the present figure, and pl. 120B, with the same coiffure. See a similar figure sold in these rooms, 8th May 1981, lot 158; and another sold in our London rooms, 11th December 1984, lot 101.