Set of Female Musician Figures

A set of painted terracotta female musicians from the Tang Dynasty Chang’an (present-day Xi’an), China, dating 618–907 CE. Created as mingqi funerary figures, the ensemble reflects the cosmopolitan sophistication of the Tang imperial court. Depicted in animated seated poses, the figures perform traditional instruments including the pipa, flute, and cymbals. Their rounded facial features and full-bodied forms embody the aristocratic ideals of Tang beauty. Traces of original red, black, and ochre pigments remain visible across the surfaces. Groups of this type were placed within elite tombs to provide eternal music and entertainment for the deceased in the afterlife.