TANG DYNASTY (618-907)

Details

A Large Sancai-Glazed Pottery Figure of an Earth Spirit, Zhenmu shou
Tang dynasty (618-907)
Powerfully modeled with tall intertwining horns, unglazed elephantine ears and a humanoid face with wrathful expression enhanced by a goatee and moustache, the body a narrow leonine torso with solid legs wings rising from the forelegs and spiked flanges bristling around the shoulders, seated on its haunches atop a rockwork base, all in amber, green and straw glazes
15½in. (90.2cm.) high

Literature

S. Little, The Herzman Collection, Hong Kong, 2000, p. 21.

Lot Essay

Guardian figures of ferocious aspect such as this were buried in the entrances of tombs and served to protect the precinct of the dead from threatening evil spirits.
The result of Oxford Authentification Ltd. thermoluminescence test no. C198t7 is consistent with the dating of this lot.

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