Harpist
Unknown Artist
mid-700s
Medium
glazed earthenware
Dimensions
h. 32.1 cm
Classification
Sculpture
Department
Chinese Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Edward L. Whittemore Fund
Accession Number
1931.450
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
After four centuries of political turmoil and social disorder, a reunited China during the first half of the Tang Dynasty (618–906) was an age of unprecedented prosperity and vitality. Figurines placed in Tang tombs give a vivid glimpse of everyday life. The elegant earthenware ladies in various hairstyles, costumes, and activities suggest the fashions of the time. This lady musician is seated on a circular plinth, playing a harp balanced on her right thigh. The plump face has well-defined featu...