Screen (Byõbu) – Edo – 19th – Shunkōsai Utagawa Kazuhide – Ichiei

Fat Lady, emblematic of Tang Dynasty aesthetics, holding a young child, both protective and ceremonial.

A large polychrome terracotta sculpture depicting a female figure of the "Fat Lady" type, emblematic of Tang Dynasty aesthetics, holding a young child in a pose that is both protective and ceremonial. The piece is distinguished by the gentle monumentality of its forms, the fullness of the body, and the serene balance of the posture. The woman stands, dressed in a long robe with ample sleeves, adorned with remnants of stylized painted decoration in red and green. The generous volumes of the torso, shoulders, and face reflect the Tang ideal of womanhood, associated with prosperity, fertility, and harmony. The face, with its full, rosy cheeks, half-closed eyelids, and delicately pigmented lips, expresses an internalized gentleness characteristic of the large female figures of this period. The high, enveloping, and carefully structured hairstyle reinforces the figure's sculptural presence. It corresponds to the aristocratic fashions prevalent at the Tang court, where the corpulent woman embodied beauty, high social status, and abundance. The child, depicted more schematically, rests on the female figure's forearm. With outstretched arms, the child introduces a strong narrative element, evoking motherhood, fertility, and the continuity of the lineage. In a funerary context, this iconography can be interpreted as a symbol of protection and prosperity granted to the deceased in the afterlife. The object is accompanied by a thermoluminescence test, confirming the authenticity of the dating.