Ancient Chinese Han Dynasty Terracotta Pottery Dwarf - 618 AD

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Ancient Chinese Han Dynasty Terracotta Pottery Dwarf - 618 AD:
$57.01

An ancient Chinese terracotta figure of a dwarf, dating to the Han Dynasty, 206 BC – 220 AD.

This short, stocky figure is depicted kneeling, his hands resting atop his knees, the prominent belly sags down towards the ground. Wearing a conical cap atop his square head, the face is softly modelled, staring into the middle distance, he appears almost melancholic.

Dwarfs appear infrequently among Chinese terracotta figures, perhaps indicative of their status as an \'exotic\' rarity in ancient China. They were often presented to the Chinese Emperor as gifts from his vassals in northern and central Asia having been sold by unscrupulous merchants as slaves. Emperor Wu Ti was particularly fond of dwarfs and employed them in his palace as servants and entertainers. Though originally intended as a comic piece, to our modern eyes it is imbued with an almost tragic aura, and remains a highly emotive piece of ancient Chinese art.

Height: 4 ¼ inches.

Condition: Very good, unrestored.

Provenance:

This piece is from a large number of mostly Chinese antiques, purchased from a shop clearance in the south of England. These items were all exhibited at London department store Fortnum & Mason, approximately 15 years ago.

Please note: This is a genuine Han dynasty terracotta. This piece is offered for sale with a very lowreserve to promote our extensive inventory of antiquities and ancient coins, which you will find at the following link: />
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