Armored Infantryman in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, July 2017

Armored Infantryman

China


Object Details

秦 陶铠甲武士俑

Title: Armored Infantryman

Period: Qin dynasty (221–206 B.C.)

Culture: China

Medium: Earthenware

Dimensions: H. 78 1/8 in. (298.4 cm): W. 26 in. (66 cm); D. 19 1/4 in. (48.9 cm); Wt. 374.1 lb. (169.7 kg)

Classification: Sculpture

Credit Line: Lent by Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum


The main battalion of the First Emperor’s terracotta army comprised infantrymen like this one, aligned in rows of four. He wears body and shoulder armor over a long tunic. Judging from his gesture, he once held a weapon, possibly a halberd or spear.

The terracotta warriors were all products of mass production. Parts such as the head, arms, and torso were molded separately as modules and then assembled. Before firing, however, clay was applied to their surfaces to allow for individualization and refinement. Most figures were fired as a single piece, suggesting the use of large-chambered kilns.

Text from: www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/640796