Ca. 618-907 AD A lovely ‘Fat Lady’ figure skilfully formed from a fine clay terracotta. The figure’s eyes with a serene expression, lips, nose, and eyebrows have been delicately painted with a careful hand, her makeup painted according to the fashions of the time, with a white painted face, red rose-like cheeks, and blood red lips. Her head features a framed coiffure in a high chignon. She is bulbous, gently swaying to one side, wearing a long-stylized courtier loose robe painted in cream and dark brown, showing deeply naturalistically incised folds. Her right hand is secretly hidden by the long sleeve of her dress. The dress flaring near the bottom, providing a gentle glimpse of two pointed shoes on each corner.This piece has been precisely dated by means of a Thermo Luminescence analysis carried out by Oxford Authentication. The samples collected date the piece to the period reflected in its style, whilst also showing no modern trace elements. The TL certificate with its full report will accompany this lot.Size: L:505mm / W:195mm ; 4.37kgProvenance: East Anglian private collection; formerly acquired in the early 1990s in Hong Kong.