唐 彩繪陶樂伎女俑|Female musician
Unknown Artist
late 7th century
Medium
Earthenware with pigment
Dimensions
H. 5 3/4 in. (14.6 cm); W. 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm); D. 3 1/8 in. (8.6 cm)
Classification
Tomb Pottery
Culture & Period
China · Tang dynasty (618–907)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1923
Accession Number
23.180.5
Tags
Art Historical Context
This enchanting earthenware figurine, titled *Female Musician*, hails from the Tang dynasty (618–907), a golden era of Chinese prosperity and cultural flourishing. Crafted in the late 7th century, it exemplifies *mingqi*—tomb pottery placed in burials to accompany the deceased into the afterlife, providing entertainment and services in the spiritual realm. Standing just 5 3/4 inches tall, this lively depiction of a female musician (le ji) captures the cosmopolitan vibrancy of Tang society, where women often performed in courts and households, reflecting the era's openness to music, dance, and ...