Chinese Tang Style Stone Courtesan Lady

AGE: – Unknown have found nothing to compare it with
CONSTRUCTION: – Likely Serpentine
HEIGHT: – 31cm
WIDTH:– 16.5cm
DEPTH: – 12cm
WEIGHT:– 6.25 kg.
#42638 PRICE:  CONTACT

Chinese Tang Style Stone Courtesan Lady

Chinese Tang Style Stone Courtesan Lady – We assume this lady is made from Serpentine a stone that can resemble jade, the stone has a natural dark vein running through in several places. This statue appears to have been carved out of three pieces of stone. Tool marks on the stone are rough which may indicate that it was painted to cover them up. Nevertheless, it is a nice ornamental piece.

Serpentine, is usually green in color and often used as gemstones or in decorative carvings, and was indeed utilized during the Tang Dynasty. This period, which lasted from 618 to 907 CE, is known for its cultural richness and artistic achievements. The Tang Dynasty saw an exploration of new materials and styles in various forms of art, including landscape painting and ceramics. While there is no specific mention of serpentine in the context of the Tang Dynasty, the era was characterized by an increase in connoisseurship and literature on art, suggesting a likelihood of its use given the period’s openness to new artistic materials and techniques.

Serpentine refers to a group of minerals rich in magnesium and have a complex layer structure of silicate, which gives them a characteristic scaly or fibrous appearance, often resembling the skin of a serpent, hence the name. These minerals are formed through a process known as serpentinization, where rock rich in olivine, such as peridotite, reacts with water and is converted into serpentine. This process usually occurs in the Earth’s mantle at tectonic plate boundaries.

Serpentine minerals are notable for their green colour, ranging from pale to dark shades of green, and sometimes exhibit a mottled or spotted pattern. They have been used throughout history for various purposes, including as a decorative stone in architecture and sculpture, and in the past, some types of serpentine were used to produce asbestos. However, due to the health risks associated with asbestos, this practice has been largely discontinued. This statue was badly painted in bright colours when we purchased it. We were advised to remove the colour, but remnants are still visible in places.

Serpentine minerals are also interesting to scientists because they can provide clues about the conditions deep within the Earth’s mantle and the processes that occur there. The term ‘serpentine’ is also used to describe objects or paths that have a winding or twisting shape, similar to the movement of a snake. This usage of the word can be found in various contexts, from the serpentine dance, which is a form of dance with flowing, curvy movements, to serpentine roads or paths that curve back and forth through the landscape. The adjective form of serpentine is used to describe something with the qualities or characteristics of a serpent, which can mean either physically resembling a snake or metaphorically being complex, cunning, or treacherous. The word ‘serpentine’ comes from the late Middle English period, derived via Old French from the late Latin ‘serpentinus’, related to the word ‘serpent’.

Chinese Tang Style Stone Courtesan Lady
Chinese Tang Style Stone Courtesan Lady
Chinese Stone Tang Style Courtesan Lady
Chinese Tang Style Stone Courtesan
Side view Chinese Tang Style stone Courtesan
Back view Chinese Stone Tang Style Courtesan Lady
Base view Chinese Natural stone Lady
Back To Top