A delicately rendered polychrome terracotta figure of a seated woman engaged in a domestic task, likely grinding or preparing food. She is depicted wearing a traditional pale blue crossover robe with dark blue panels and black piping. Her hair is styled in a distinctive, elaborate black coiffure adorned with a wide, flat headpiece, characteristic of regional or ethnic dress styles of the late Imperial period.

The figure is modeled with a gentle, focused expression, leaning over a gray-painted stone-like pedestal. Her hands are positioned to hold a wooden or ceramic pestle. The sculpture is notable for its intimate scale and naturalistic pose, capturing a fleeting moment of daily life. The use of cold-painted pigments remains visible across the garment and facial features, adding a lifelike quality to the earthenware body.

This figure belongs to the tradition of "clay figurine" art (niren), which flourished in centers such as Huishan and Tianjin during the 19th century. While many terracotta figures of this era depicted famous theatrical characters, a significant genre was dedicated to "genre scenes" (shenghuo wenhua) realistic portrayals of common people and their customs. Such pieces were highly prized by the emerging middle class and later by Western collectors for their ethnographic detail and artistic charm.

Height: 8.5 cm (approx. 3.3 in)