Court Ladies， a Tang Dynasty（618.907） painting by an unknown author， ink and color on silk， 48.7cm×69.5cm， in the collection of the Palace Museum， Taipei.
There is no painter’s name or seal imprint on the painting. Judged from painting style， hair styles， clothes and furniture， it is confirmed as a Tang Dynasty work. It shows a scene of court ladies’ life： some ladies taste the flavor of tea，some play a drinker’s wager game and some play the lute， the zither or the sheng（a reed pipe wind instrument）。 What a joyous scene！ The painting， with plump figures， bright colors， delicate and clear lines， represents the important achievement of meticulous and rich-color paintings in the Tang Dynasty. It is a rare ancient work of art and a national cultural treasure.