Stone Drummer no. 665, Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD). Stone, 49.3 cm. Price: €45.000. VANDERVEN ORIENTAL ART at TEFAF 2024. © 2024 TEFAF

Provenance: - With Jacques Barrère, Paris 1998
- J. Studzinsky Collection, United Kingdom 2019

Literature: Susan Caroselli , The Quest for Eternity: Chinese Ceramic Sculptures From the People's Republic of China, London, 1987, p.74 & 117 nr.38.
Lucy Lim (ed), Stories from China’s Past: Han Dynasty, Pictorial Tomb Reliefs and Archaeological Objects, San Francisco, 1987.
Liu Liang-Yu, A Survey of Chinese Ceramic: Early Wares: Pre-Historic to Tenth Century, Taipei 199, p.119.
Jessica Rawson, Mysteries of Ancient China: New Discoveries from the Early Dynasties, Exhibition Catalogue The British Museum, London, 1996, p.207-209, nr.109 & 110.
Roger Goepper (ed.), Das Alte China: Menschen und Götter im Reich der Mitte 5000v.Chr-220n.chr., Exhibition Catalogue Kunsthaus Zürich, 1996, p. 422-426, nr.110-111.
Robert Bagley (ed), Ancient Sichuan: Treasures from a Lost Civilisation, Exhibition Catalogue Seattle Art Museum, 2001, p.298, nr.111.
Robert Jacobson, Celestial Horses & Long Sleeve Dancers: The David W. Dewey Collection of Ancient Chinese Tomb Sculpture, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minnesota, 2013, p.100-103.
Hajni Elias, Laughter and Lamentation: Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD) “Spirit” Entertainers from Sichuan, China, Arts of Asia Spring 2023, p.97-108.

Very rare figure made of stone as they were usually made of pottery. Delfty carved as a lively musician standing with knees bent, his right hand holding a drum stick, the left drum held againt his ample belly. Depicted in a swaying posture, his torso slightly twisted and his back arched.

It is stylistically closely related to a group of pottery figures of entertainers which have been excavated from high-ranking Han dynasty tombs in Sichuan Province. These entertainers have been examined as those specialising in a genre of storytelling whereby their stories were both spoken and sung.