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† A HIGHLY DETAILED POTTERY GROUP OF A HORSE WITH ITS GROOM, TANG DYNASTY
奥地利
06月27日 下午5点 开拍
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Description

? A HIGHLY DETAILED POTTERY GROUP OF A HORSE WITH ITS GROOM, TANG DYNASTY

Scientific Analysis Report: Thermoluminescence analysis reports have been issued by Oxford Authentication for both figures, based on sample numbers C114j88 and C114j89, dated 25 September and 7 October 2014 respectively, each setting the firing date between 900 and 1500 years ago, consistent with the dating above. Copies of the two reports accompany this lot.

China, 618-907. The powerfully modeled and neatly painted horse striding forward in a dramatic pose with the muscular neck twisting as it raises and rears its head, the mouth agape revealing large teeth, trying to free itself from the foreign groom wrangling it in, its face further detailed with wide painted eyes and pricked ears, the tail raised.

The bearded groom skillfully modeled low to the ground, using his body weight and every ounce of his strength to pull back and control the horse, wearing a gray-blue tunic, tall riding boots, and Phrygian cap, his face finely painted and with a strained expression. (2)

Provenance: A private Swedish collection formed in the 1970s, and thence by descent. A & J Speelman Oriental Art, London, United Kingdom, acquired from the above in 2014 via the local trade. Jules Speelman is a world-leading dealer and collector of East Asian art with 60 years of experience. In 1964 he joined his late father, Alfred, in the family business which already stretched back three generations to 19th century Holland and expanded into England around the turn of the century. Originally, A & J Speelman dealt with antiques, from European ceramics, silver, tapestries, and furniture to Chinese porcelain and works of art. With his father, Jules gradually shifted the focus towards Asia and under Jules Speelman's skilled direction, A & J Speelman is now considered amongst the foremost dealers in Asian antiques, with a particular emphasis on figurative sculpture and works of art from the past 2000 years.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Extensive wear, signs of weathering and erosion, encrustations, nicks, chips, drilled holes from sample taking, repairs, touchups, all as generally expected from authentic Tang dynasty excavations. Remnants of ancient pigments. An even, naturally grown patina overall.

Weight: 3,410 g (the horse) and 1,154 g (the groom)
Dimensions: Height 36.5 cm (the horse), Length 21.5 cm (the groom)

Pottery horses such as the present lot held deep significance, representing high social status and immense wealth. Proudly displayed in the tombs of elite, they served as a testament to the deceased's prominence and position within society. The Chinese firmly believed in the continuity between the earthly and afterlife realms, emphasizing the need for essential provisions during the journey beyond. Thus, by including these majestic horses in their final resting places, the departed were revered, honored, and equipped for their transcendental voyage.

A pottery figure of a seated foreigner, which appears to be of similar ethnic type as the present figure, with full, textured beard, pronounced hooked nose and brows, and wearing a similar cloth cap tied in the same fashion, is illustrated by Margaret Medley in ‘Tang Pottery and Porcelain’, London, 1979, page 56, plate 47. The author notes, page 54, that it was fashionable in the seventh and eighth centuries to employ foreign grooms, and that they included “Central Asians such as Khorezmians, Sogdians, Uighurs and Turks”, as well as Iranians, and others with Caucasian features.

Literature comparison:
Compare closely related groups of a horse and groom dated to the Tang dynasty in the Shaanxi History Museum, Xi’an and the Luoyang Museum, Henan.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Galerie Zacke, 11 April 2024, lot 133
Price: EUR 27,016
Description: A painted pottery figure of a drinking horse, Tang dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the related modeling and technique of this closely related horse. Note the size (40 cm) and that the lot comprises a figure of a horse without the groom.



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价格信息

拍品估价:7,500 - 15,000 欧元 起拍价格:7,500 欧元  买家佣金: 35.00%

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Galerie Zacke
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