A Group of Foreign and Chinese Musician Figures

Tang Dynasty, China, 618–907 CEGroup of terracotta mingqi figures depicting foreign and Chinese musicians in animated performance poses, reflecting the cosmopolitan culture of the Tang court and the artistic influence of the Silk Road exchange. Originally created for tomb burial, the figures were intended to provide music and ceremonial entertainment for the deceased in the afterlife. Made from red pottery covered in a white slip, the painted details remain visible across the surfaces, preserving elements of their original visual richness. A large group of finely molded foreign musician figures is quite rare, a mixed ensemble like this is rarer still, and unusually collectable.