Page 285 - Fine Chinese Art Christies London May 2018

PROPERTY FROM THE ZHIDAO ZHAI COLLECTION
The Bactrian camel was not indigenous to China, see Ezekiel Schloss,
288 Ancient Chinese Ceramic Sculpture, Stamford, 1977, vol. II, p. 220, where he
A PAINTED GREY POTTERY FIGURE OF A BACTRIAN CAMEL discusses the importation of thousands of camels from the states of the
AND A FOREIGN GROOM Tarim Basin, eastern Turkestan and Mongolia. The Tang state even created
TANG DYNASTY (618-907) a special ofice to supervise Imperial camel herds which carried out various
The camel stands foursquare on a rectangular plinth and its large saddle bags assignments, including military courier service for the Northern Frontier. The
are modelled as lions’ heads. The foreign groom is dressed in a tunic and boots camel was also used by the court and merchants for local transportation
and is holding a parcel in one arm, with his other arm raised as if to hold a lead. and were the ‘ships’ of the desert, linking China to the oasis cities of Central
Traces of blue, red, ochre and black pigments are visible. Asia, Samarkand, Persia and Syria. Unlike the horse, which enjoyed ethereal
The camel, 16¿ in. (41 cm.) high
associations in China, the camel, though appreciated for its endurance and
(2) strength, was a dificult animal, usually left to barbarians to attend to. Most
fgures that ride camels, or once attended them, are foreigners.
£15,000-20,000 $22,000-28,000
€18,000-23,000 唐 三彩駱駝及胡人立像

來源: 志道齋私人珍藏; 1953年購自香港古董商T.Y. King
PROVENANCE
Acquired directly from T.Y. King, Hong Kong, 1953. (金才記)
EXHIBITED 展覽:
Chinese Tomb Figures, The Institute of Oriental Studies, University of Hong
Kong, 26th-28th September 1953, no. D23. 香港大學1953年9月26-28日《Chinese Tomb Figures》展
覽, 編號 D23
LITERATURE
Catalogue of Exhibition, Chinese Tomb Figures, The Institute of Oriental
Studies, University of Hong Kong, 26th-28th September 1953, no. D23. 出版:
香港大學1953年9月26-28日《Chinese Tomb Figures》展覽
圖錄, 編號 D23

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