A RARE PAIR OF SANCAI-GLAZED DANCING LADIES

TANG DYNASTY, 7TH/8TH CENTURY

Details
A RARE PAIR OF SANCAI-GLAZED DANCING LADIES
Tang Dynasty, 7th/8th Century
Both with right arms raised, wearing green-lined, yellow skirts with tied ribbons to the reverse, and short green coats tied at the waist with unusual turquoise-glazed lapels
10in. and 10.3/8in. (17cm. and 16.5cm.) high (2)

Lot Essay

Although a fair number of unglazed pottery examples of dancing ladies are published, it is very unusual to find them with a sancai-glaze, making this pair extremely rare. For another example with a sancai-glaze from the Freer Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., see William Watson, Tang and Liao Ceramics, Fribourg, 1984, p. 213, pl. 247; for unglazed examples see, The Silk Road, Treasures of Tang China, Singapore, 1991, Catalogue, p. 78; Sekai toji zenshu, Kawade Shobe, Japan, 1961, vol. 9, p. 238, fig. 180; and the International Exhibition of Chinese Art, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1935-6, Catalogue, p. 221, no. 2411.

For a Tang mural of a dancing lady see Mary Tregear, Arts of China, Recent Discoveries, Japan, 1968, from a tomb in Shensi province dated A.D. 658.