Page 102 - Bonhams Olivier Collection Early Chinese Art November 2018

24
TWO LARGE AND RARE POTTERY FIGURES
OF COURT LADIES
Tang Dynasty
The elegant figures standing on a flat base, dressed
in long and colourful robes interspersed with red
roundels falling into multiple folds to emphasise
the graceful sway of the body, the long sleeves
concealing their hands, the faces, gracefully
modelled with full cheeks, crisply carved mouth and
elongated eyes, framed by a similar coiffure drawn
up into a overhanging chignon, both figures covered
in white slip with traces of sky blue, sea green and
coral red pigments.
59.3cm (23 3/8in) and 58cm (23 5/8in) high. (2).

£60,000 - 100,000
CNY540,000 - 890,000

唐 陶胎彩繪仕女俑一對

Provenance:
Susan Chen (Fine Arts Consultant) Ltd., Hong Kong,
14 December 1998
Gisèle Croës Arts D’Extreme Orient, Brussels
Jean-Yves Ollivier Collection

Exhibited, Published and Illustrated:
Brussels Oriental Fair, Vol.3, Brussels, 6-10 June
2007, pp.14-15

來源：
香港古董商陳淑珍女士，1998年12月14日
布魯塞爾古董商吉賽爾藝廊
歐宗易先生珍藏

展覽、出版及著錄：
2007年6月6日至10日期間於比利時「Brussels
Oriental Fair（布魯塞爾東方藝術展）」展出，
《圖錄》，卷3，2007年，頁14-15
Gracefully rendered, the elegant ladies wear loose
gowns with long sleeves and sport elaborate
coiffures which reflected the fashion of the time.

The plumpness of the body, conveyed by the full
cheeks, dimpled chins and broad chests, is often
found in pottery figures and tomb frescoes dating
from the 8th century. These features may well have
been influenced by the full-figured concubines of
Emperor Xuanzong (r. 713-756). The sedentary
lifestyle and the greater availability and variety
of food delicacies, imported from neighbouring
countries, must have prompted an increase in
weight among the high-ranking members of Tang
society. ‘There is nothing that cannot be eaten’,
declared a Tang general in the 8th century. Golden
peaches from Samarkand graced the tables of the
emperor and his favourites; pistachios, imported

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
100 | please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.
100 | BONHAMSBONHAMS