拍品專文
There is an interesting distinction in Han funerary ceramic sculpture between those everyday animals that are usually portrayed in a simple, realistic manner and those which are mythological and, while naturalistic in pose and demeanor, are clearly in some way magical. This creature falls into the latter category for, although it has a head resembling a tapir, it has the paws of a lion. More importantly, it has strongly modelled wings like those on Gao Yi's stone felines at Ya'an in Sichuan province, see Ann Paludan, The Chinese Spirit Road, Yale University, 1991, p.39, pl.33. In addition, the animal has retained much of its cold-painted detail and red-outlined scales can be seen on its throat and breast. Its flaring nostrils and mouth are also painted red and a red pattern has been painted on its horse-like mane.
A similar creature, but with more pronounced, slender, ears was sold in our New York Rooms, 2, June 1994, lots 232.
A similar creature, but with more pronounced, slender, ears was sold in our New York Rooms, 2, June 1994, lots 232.