TANG DYNASTY

Details

A sancai-glazed pottery figure of a horse
Tang dynasty
Modelled standing four-square on an unglazed rectangular base, the head raised and turned slightly left with the ears pricked, a channel running the length of the neck for the mane, docked tail, the loose saddle in cream and green contrasting with the amber-glazed body with cream blaze to the head, restorations
53 cm. high

Special notice

Christie's charge a premium to the buyer on the final bid price of each lot sold at the following rates: 23.8% of the final bid price of each lot sold up to and including €150,000 and 14.28% of any amount in excess of €150,000. Buyers' premium is calculated on the basis of each lot individually.

Sale room notice

Please note that this lot is consistent with the result of the Oxford Authentication Ltd test No: C105k21.

Lot Essay

Horses were of great importance during the Tang dynasty, serving the needs of the Emperor down to the humblest merchants and soldiers, both Chinese and foreign. As E. Schäfer notes in The Golden Peaches of Samarkand, Berkeley, 1963, p. 59, the horse 'was invested with sanctity by ancient tradition, endowed with prodigious qualities, and visibly stamped with the marks of his divine origin. A revered myth proclaimed him a relative of the dragon, akin to the mysterious powers of water.

The dating of this lot is consistent with the result of the Oxford Authentication Ltd test.

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