A group of four gilt musician figures depicting court ladies comprising: two seated figures dressed in voluminous robes, wearing the traditional court attire and playing the pipes; a similarly seated figure playing a drum, with detailing to her necklace, arm rings and hair; a figure seated wearing a floor-length robe, voluminous sleeves, head tilted whimsically to one side, playing a guzheng; the facial features delicately modelled in a serene expression and the hair adorned with a headdress, each musician wearing a different facial expression; each accompanied by a custom-made display base. 2 3/8 - 3 in. (3 3/8 - 3 3/4 in.) (350 grams total, 60-75 mm high (730 grams total, 85-95 mm including stand)). Fine condition. [4]

PROVENANCE:
Late Sir Roger Moss OBE collection.
Property of a Cambridgeshire, UK, lady.
Accompanied by an academic expertise by Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate no.11188-185450.

LITERATURE:
Cf. Prodan, M., The Art of The T'ang Potter, Thames and Hudson, 1960, for comparable examples (pl.VII p.16) and discussion; Wong, G., The Silk Road: Treasures of the Tang China, Singapore, 1991, pp.78-80, for comparable musician figures in a different medium; Congyun, L., Yang, Y., Gushan, Z., Imperial Tombs of China, Orlando, 1995, p.117, for representation of musicians on a Tang cup from Hejia; Michaelson, C., Gilded Dragons, Buried treasures from China’s Golden Ages, London, 1999, fig.39, p.71, 88, p.124, 90, p.126, 113, p.156; cf. images of Tang censer with representations of female musicians in Rastelli, S., Scarpari, M., Il Celeste Impero, dall'esercito di Terracotta alla Via della Seta, Milano, 2008, fig.83, p.182.