Pair of birds - China, Han dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) Polychrome terracotta A charming pair of birds modelled in terracotta, painted with ochre, red and black pigments. The solid volumes, precision of the beaks and rendering of the feathers illustrate the naturalistic sensibility of the Han workshops, where these effigies accompanied the deceased to their graves to symbolise the renewal and freedom of the soul. Original burial patina and remains of polychromy. Height: 11 cm - Length: 18 cm Provenance: former private collection Test of age by thermoluminescence (QED Marseille): consistent with the Han period