Paul Beckrich desired to create a feminine character, a Chinese woman with a determined temperament, combining grace, beauty and intelligence. Hence, he imagined the most illustrious Empress of the Tang dynasty: Wu Zetian. She called herself “Zhao” during her reign. Zhao signifies light of the sun and the moon, illuminating all four corners of the Earth. The transparency and brightness of the “pâte de cristal” brings Zhao back to life.

Her buttons, necklace and earrings in gilded pewter, and her detailed and refined motifs on her coat accentuate her majestic appearance.