A PAIR OF GREEN AND AMBER-GLAZED GROOMS

TANG DYNASTY, 8TH CENTURY

Details
A PAIR OF GREEN AND AMBER-GLAZED GROOMS
Tang Dynasty, 8th Century
With arms stretched out to hold reigns, each wearing an amber tunic with turned-over green lapel over their muscular torsos
23in. and 23in. (65cm. and 58.5cm.) high (2)

Lot Essay

A groom similar to the more youthful one illustrated here, was included in the exhibition, The Quest for Eternity, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1987, Catalogue, p. 132, fig. 65, excavated in 1971 from the tomb of Prince Zhanghuai in Qian County, Shaanxi province.

Another youthful groom, possibly from the same mold, was sold at Sotheby's, New York, Important Chinese Ceramic Sculpture, Selected Masterpieces from the Schloss Collection, December 3, 1984, lot 13.
Other similar examples were included in the exhibition, Foreigners in Ancient Chinese Art, China House Gallery, New York, May, 1969, Catalogue, no. 2 from the Brooklyn Museum; by C. Hentze, Chinese Tomb Figures, London, 1928, p. 75; and in the International Exhibition of Chinese Art, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1935-6, Catalogue, no. 2449, from the Eumorfopoulos Collections, now in the British Museum.