Female Attendant
Western Han dynasty (206 BCE–9 CE), about 2nd century BCE
Medium
Gray earthenware with slip and polychrome pigments
Dimensions
57.2 × 18 × 14.8 cm (22 1/2 × 7 1/16 × 5 13/16 in.)
Classification
earthenware
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
75310
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This figure wears the narrow, calf-length robe distinctive of servants. Her facial features, characteristically masklike and serene, are framed by long hair, which is parted and tied in a bun at the nape of her neck. Her cupped hands may originally have held a staff.
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...