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Lot Essay
The dating of this lot is consistent with the Alliance-Science-Art thermoluminescence test, no. TL 9295, 8 October 1994.
This figure is part of the sancai-glazed group, particularly notable for its rare and highly valued blue-glazed form. Blue pigment was a luxury at the time, as cobalt had to be imported from Central Asia, and it was typically paired with other colors like brown or ochre. It’s much rarer to see blue used almost exclusively, as it is in this piece. Male figures like this one were typically made for burial purposes, accompanying a variety of daily objects meant for high-ranking members of Tang society. These items were intended to ensure the deceased continued to be cared for in the afterlife, rooted in the belief that ancestors, if properly provided for, could actively influence the fortunes of their living descendants.
This figure is part of the sancai-glazed group, particularly notable for its rare and highly valued blue-glazed form. Blue pigment was a luxury at the time, as cobalt had to be imported from Central Asia, and it was typically paired with other colors like brown or ochre. It’s much rarer to see blue used almost exclusively, as it is in this piece. Male figures like this one were typically made for burial purposes, accompanying a variety of daily objects meant for high-ranking members of Tang society. These items were intended to ensure the deceased continued to be cared for in the afterlife, rooted in the belief that ancestors, if properly provided for, could actively influence the fortunes of their living descendants.