East Asia, China, Tang Dynasty, ca. 618 to 906 CE. A handsome mold-made pottery male figure standing atop an integral plinth. Holding his right fist out before him as though holding the reigns of a horse, the ancient figure wears an ankle-length robe that folds at his chest and is belted at the waist, as well as a pair of boots. His left arm lies to his side, slightly bent and also fisted, as he looks up to his right. His naturalistic visage displays incised, almond-shaped eyes beneath a straight brow, a bulbous nose, prominent cheek bones, a square chin, and full lips turned down at the corners, all flanked by a pair of petite ears and topped with a sizeable coiffure or headdress. Thick golden sancai glaze covers most of the figure, with his hands, feet, and only part of the head being unglazed. This figure represents a horse groom of foreign origin meant as the husband for a woman of nobility or wealth. Size: 4.5" L x 3.75" W x 13" H (11.4 cm x 9.5 cm x 33 cm)

The Tang Dynasty was a golden age in China, when its control of oases along the Silk Road allowed both the export of Chinese goods and the import of people and ideas from places like India, Persia, and even further afield. The capital city, Changan (modern day Xian) had 2 million inhabitants, making it one of the largest cities in the world at the time, and there was a large class of literati and artisans supported by the government who lived there. This artisan class had the luxury to produce these beautiful figures. After a mold was used to form them into basic shapes, artists would then use scrapers and hand-modelling to give them their individuality.

This piece has been tested using thermoluminescence (TL) analysis and has been found to be ancient and of the period stated. A full report will accompany purchase.

Provenance: private Vero Beach, Florida, USA collection, acquired in the 1980s; ex-private English collection

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#163790

TL holes on back of head near hat and interior of base. A few expected nicks, chips, and abrasions, commensurate with age. Otherwise, intact and excellent with remarkable preservation of glaze.