Military officer

The flattened back attached to a partial wall at the shoulder, along with the wavy cuffs on the figure's tunic, a feature rarely applied in the ceramic medium, suggest that this figure was modeled after Buddhist stone sculpture. This military officer wears a small cap, a tabard, and baggy trousers in addition to the wavy-cuffed tunic. The treatment of the sword cover and the circular handle held by the figure is similar to that on a Northern Qi figure from Hebei (WW 1984.9: 35, fig. 44). Distinct from most unearthed Six Dynasties figures, its highly mature sculpting was likely achieved after the middle Northern Dynasties.