Lot Essay
The present example belongs to a very small and somewhat mysterious group of figures variously kneeling or sitting and holding an animal-shaped vessel or straightforward wine sack. It is agreed that they represent foreigners, either male or female, owing to the shape of the face, the features and their style of headdress and clothing. However, whether the animal forms they hold are wine containers as generally identified or representations of animals being force-fed, is yet unresolved. For a discussion of this topic, with several useful illustrations of comparable examples, see Jan Chapman, "A New Look at 'Wine Carriers' Among Tang Dynasty Figurines", T.O.C.S, 1987-1988, London, 1989, vol. 52, pp. 11-20.
Compare also, the figure with a similar though unglazed head, kneeling on a lotus petal base and holding a goose-shaped vessel from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, sold in Christie's, New York, December 1, 1994, lot 151a. Another young girl with similar hair was excavated from the tomb of Li Du in the outskirts of Changzhi city, Shanxi province, see Wenwu, 1989, no. 6, col. pl. and pl. 4:1. Two figures from the Rietberg Museum, one male with a beard, the other similar to the present example, each holding a goose-shaped vessel were included in the exhibition, Treasures from the Rietberg Museum, The Asia Society, New York, 1980, Catalogue, nos. 42 and 43.
The lotus pedestal is a Buddhist feature that is unusual among tomb figures, whilst the presence of a carefully incised decoration over the shoulder of this figure appears to be a very rare occurrence in the group.
The result of Oxford Authentication Ltd. thermoluminescence test no. C298a35 is consistent with the dating of this lot.
Compare also, the figure with a similar though unglazed head, kneeling on a lotus petal base and holding a goose-shaped vessel from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, sold in Christie's, New York, December 1, 1994, lot 151a. Another young girl with similar hair was excavated from the tomb of Li Du in the outskirts of Changzhi city, Shanxi province, see Wenwu, 1989, no. 6, col. pl. and pl. 4:1. Two figures from the Rietberg Museum, one male with a beard, the other similar to the present example, each holding a goose-shaped vessel were included in the exhibition, Treasures from the Rietberg Museum, The Asia Society, New York, 1980, Catalogue, nos. 42 and 43.
The lotus pedestal is a Buddhist feature that is unusual among tomb figures, whilst the presence of a carefully incised decoration over the shoulder of this figure appears to be a very rare occurrence in the group.
The result of Oxford Authentication Ltd. thermoluminescence test no. C298a35 is consistent with the dating of this lot.