Sculpture of the Qin Dynasty

The Qin Dynasty is perhaps best known for the impressive Terracotta Army built to protect Qin Shihuang in the afterlife.

Learning Objective

Evaluate the sculpture common to the Qin Dynasty

Key Points

The Qin, under the leadership of emperor Qin Shihuang, accomplished a series of swift conquests and gained control over the whole of China, resulting in the first-ever unified China.
The Qin made many advancements in sculpture during their short reign, building on techniques practiced by the previous Zhou Dynasty.
The most famous example of sculpture under the Qin Dynasty was a project commissioned during Qin Shihuang's rule known as the Terracotta Army, intended to protect the emperor after his death.
The Terracotta Army consists of more than 7,000 life-size tomb terracotta figures of warriors and horses, which were buried with Qin Shihuang after his death in 210–209 BCE.
Originally, the figures were painted with bright pigments, variously colored pink, red, green, blue, black, brown, white, and lilac and giving the figures a realistic feel; however, much of the color coating had flaked off or become greatly faded.
The figures were constructed in several poses, including standing infantry, kneeling archers, and charioteers with horses.

Terms

Qin Shihuang
The self-proclaimed first Emperor of the Qin Dynasty.
terracotta
A type of earthenware, clay-based unglazed or glazed ceramic, where the fired body is porous.

Full Text

Background: Sculpture in the Qin Dynasty

The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 206 BCE. The Dynasty followed the Warring States Period and ended after only 15 years with the Han Dynasty. The Qin, under the leadership of its first self-proclaimed emperor Qin Shihuang, accomplished a series of swift conquests, first ending the powerless Zhou Dynasty and eventually destroying the remaining six of the major states, thus gaining control over the whole of China and resulting in the first-ever unified China. The Qin made many advancements in sculpture during their short reign, building on techniques practiced by the previous Zhou Dynasty.

The Terracotta Army

The most famous example of sculpture under the Qin Dynasty was a project commissioned during Qin Shihuang's rule known as the Terracotta Army, intended to protect the emperor after his death. The Terracotta Army was inconspicuous due to its underground location and was not discovered until 1974. The "army" of sculptures consists of more than 7,000 life-size tomb terracotta figures of warriors and horses that were buried with Qin Shihuang after his death in 210–209 BCE. Estimates from 2007 were that the three pits containing the Terracotta Army held more than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses, the majority of which remained buried in the pits nearby Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum. Other terracotta non-military figures were found in other pits, including officials, acrobats, strongmen and musicians.

Figures

The figures were painted in bright pigments before being placed into the vault, and the original colors of pink, red, green, blue, black, brown, white, and lilac were visible when the pieces were first unearthed. However, exposure to air has caused the pigments to fade and flake off, so today the unearthed figures appear as their natural terracotta color. The figures were constructed in several poses, including standing infantry, kneeling archers, and charioteers with horses. The figures vary in height according to their roles, with the tallest being the generals, and each figure's head appears to be unique, showing a variety of facial features, expressions, and hair styles. Along with the colored lacquer finish, the individual facial features would have given the figures a realistic feel.

The Terracotta Army

The Terracotta Army consists of more than 7,000 life-size tomb terracotta figures of warriors and horses, buried with the first Emperor of Qin in 210 BCE.

Construction

The terracotta army figures were manufactured in workshops by government laborers and local craftsmen using local materials. Heads, arms, legs, and torsos were created separately and then assembled. Eight face moulds were most likely used, with clay added after assembly to provide individual facial features. It is believed that the warriors' legs were made in much the same way that terracotta drainage pipes were manufactured at the time. This would classify the process as assembly line production, with specific parts manufactured and assembled after being fired, as opposed to crafting one solid piece and subsequently firing it. In those times of tight imperial control, each workshop was required to inscribe its name on items produced to ensure quality control.

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