A painted red pottery female polo player astride a galloping horse

TANG DYNASTY

Details

A painted red pottery female polo player astride a galloping horse
Tang Dynasty
The galloping horse covered in white slip and extending all four legs to their fullest in mid air, the head with pricked ears and open mouth, the tail ducked, the female polo-player seated firmly in the saddle with outstretched legs, the body twisted sideways to the left, her arms raised to swing, wearing a pale green tunic with orange-red hems and belt above boots, the black hair pulled in a high chignon, details picked out in red and black pigment (some restoartion)
42.5 cm long, metal stand

Lot Essay

The result of the Oxford thermoluminescence test no. C97n30 is consistent with the dating of this lot.
This polo player is closely related to the well-known group of four female polo-players in the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, referred to in the Handbook of Collections, Kansas City, 1959, p.208; M.Medley, Tang Pottery and Porcelain,pl.41, p.51; compare further the polo player exhibited at the International Exhibition of Chinese Art, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1935-36, Catalogue, pl.2432, p.223 and Chine: des Chevaux et des Hommes, Donation J. Polain, 1995, no.49-54.

A similar polo player was sold in these Rooms, 19 November 1996, lot 248 and 18 November 1987, lot 289.

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