拍品专文
The result of Oxford Thermoluminescence test, no.C97g68, is consistent with the dating of this lot.
This unusually large animal epitomises the Han delight in horses. It is said that in order to combat the Xiongnu tribes on China's northern borders, the Han emperor Wudi brought some of the renowned tianma (heavenly horses) from the Ferghana area of Central Asia. These powerful horses were a favourite theme in Han art, whether in paintings, stone sculpture, bronzes such as the 'flying horse' of Gansu, or in ceramics. Like the horses of the later Tang period, the Han ceramic models were made in sections and then luted together.
Horses, although not of this size, have been found a number of tombs within the Han empire. Amoung the most famous are those from the graves of the well-known Han dynasty minister Zhou Bo and his son excavated at Yangjiawan, Xianyang, Shaanxi province, see Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Quest for Eternity, Thames and Hudson, 1987, Catalogue, nos. 11-15. A large prancing horse was excavated from a rock-face tomb at Majiashan, Xinduxian, Sichuan province, see Wenwu ziliao congkan, 1985, No.9, pl.vi-5. In addition to the well-sculpted head, flaring nostrils and upwardly-curling top lip characteristic of these Han horses, typified by the large bronze horse excavated at Hejiashan, Jinyang, Sichuan province and recorded in Wenwu, 1991, no.3, p.9, pl.iii, the current example has emphatically defined hindquarters. A similar definition of the hindquarters can be seen on many of the lacquered horses found in a Western Han tomb at Shuangbaoshan, Yongxing, Mianyan, Sichuan province, see Wenwu, 1996, no.10, p.20, fig. 18, no.2.
A somewhat smaller, but similar modelled horse of this type was sold in our New York Rooms, 4 June 1992, lot 208; and two others, in a prancing stance, were sold in the same rooms, 3 June 1993, lot 159, and 2 December 1993, lot 213
This unusually large animal epitomises the Han delight in horses. It is said that in order to combat the Xiongnu tribes on China's northern borders, the Han emperor Wudi brought some of the renowned tianma (heavenly horses) from the Ferghana area of Central Asia. These powerful horses were a favourite theme in Han art, whether in paintings, stone sculpture, bronzes such as the 'flying horse' of Gansu, or in ceramics. Like the horses of the later Tang period, the Han ceramic models were made in sections and then luted together.
Horses, although not of this size, have been found a number of tombs within the Han empire. Amoung the most famous are those from the graves of the well-known Han dynasty minister Zhou Bo and his son excavated at Yangjiawan, Xianyang, Shaanxi province, see Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Quest for Eternity, Thames and Hudson, 1987, Catalogue, nos. 11-15. A large prancing horse was excavated from a rock-face tomb at Majiashan, Xinduxian, Sichuan province, see Wenwu ziliao congkan, 1985, No.9, pl.vi-5. In addition to the well-sculpted head, flaring nostrils and upwardly-curling top lip characteristic of these Han horses, typified by the large bronze horse excavated at Hejiashan, Jinyang, Sichuan province and recorded in Wenwu, 1991, no.3, p.9, pl.iii, the current example has emphatically defined hindquarters. A similar definition of the hindquarters can be seen on many of the lacquered horses found in a Western Han tomb at Shuangbaoshan, Yongxing, Mianyan, Sichuan province, see Wenwu, 1996, no.10, p.20, fig. 18, no.2.
A somewhat smaller, but similar modelled horse of this type was sold in our New York Rooms, 4 June 1992, lot 208; and two others, in a prancing stance, were sold in the same rooms, 3 June 1993, lot 159, and 2 December 1993, lot 213