Artwork preview

Female musician with a lute

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The sculpture depicts a female musician playing a lute. She is standing with her feet close together on a flat base. The woman has a slender neck and her hair is styled in an updo. Her face is long and narrow with a small mouth and nose. She wears a sleeveless dress with a pleated skirt that falls to her feet. The dress is carved to resemble folds of fabric. The woman's right arm is bent at the elbow, holding the lute against her body. Her left hand is positioned near the neck of the lute. The lute has a round body and a long neck with four strings. The background is a gradient from dark gray at the top to light gray at the bottom. The sculpture is shown in black and white.

Artwork Details

Date
6th century
Medium
Polychromed reddish earthenware
Culture
China
Dimensions
340 × 625 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette