A pair of sancai-glazed pottery earth spirits,

TANG DYNASTY

Details

A pair of sancai-glazed pottery earth spirits,
Tang Dynasty
One a humanoid quadruped seated on its haunches upon a pierced rockwork waisted base, its long forelegs with winged shoulders, its head modelled with a stern expression with powerfully sculpted features, flanked by wing-like ears and surmounted by a pointed horn, the other with a feline face, the forehead with antlers and shaped horn emanating from behind the mane, all under splashes of green, cream and amber glazes, (some restorations)
78cm. and 72.5cm. high (2)

Lot Essay

The result of the thermoluminescence tests, Gutachten 689403 and 679403, is consistent with the dating of this lot.

A similar example to the first earth spirit from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York is illustrated in Oriental Ceramics, Kodansha Series, vol.11, col.pl.65; and a similar example to the second, from the Idemitsu Collection, illustrated, Catalogue, no. 358.

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