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Lot Essay
These imposing figures are noteworthy for their fine modeling and masterful application of the glazes. As with other figures of this type, they are modeled with fierce, scowling expressions and a threatening stance, and they carry on the tradition of the massive stone guardian figures (lishi) that were positioned at the entrances to cave-shrines during the early Tang dynasty. The glazed pottery figures of the mid-8th century had now evolved into military guardians and were dressed in elaborate armor like the present pair.
For another imposing figure of this type, also shown standing on a recumbent bull, but of even larger size (123 cm.), see The Tsui Museum of Art - Chinese Ceramics I: Neolithic to Liao, Hong Kong, 1993, no. 119. Another similar example with bird-crested helmet and shown standing on a bull, of slightly smaller size (90 cm.), is in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and illustrated by M. Medley in T’ang Pottery and Porcelain, London, 1981, p. 62, no. 54.
For another imposing figure of this type, also shown standing on a recumbent bull, but of even larger size (123 cm.), see The Tsui Museum of Art - Chinese Ceramics I: Neolithic to Liao, Hong Kong, 1993, no. 119. Another similar example with bird-crested helmet and shown standing on a bull, of slightly smaller size (90 cm.), is in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and illustrated by M. Medley in T’ang Pottery and Porcelain, London, 1981, p. 62, no. 54.