Page 90 - Bonhams Olivier Collection Early Chinese Art November 2018

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A RARE PAINTED POTTERY FIGURE OF A PRANCING HORSE
Tang Dynasty
Superbly modelled in an elegant posture with the right foreleg raised
high and the head cocked to the left, the mane finely combed,
the mouth agape beneath flared nostrils and bulging eyes, lavishly
caparisoned with a tassel-hung bridle, medallion-applied crupper
surrounding the saddle covered in tied cloths and secured to large
mud-guards, all above well defined, muscular legs, with traces of
polychrome and gilding over white slip.
47cm (18 1/2in) long.

£60,000 - 80,000
CNY540,000 - 710,000

唐 陶胎彩繪馬俑

Provenance:
Gisèle Croës Arts D’Extreme Orient, Brussels, 1991
Jean-Yves Ollivier Collection

來源：
布魯塞爾古董商吉賽爾藝廊，1991年
歐宗易先生珍藏

The modelling of the present lot is impressive for its sense of energetic 馬曲項，高抬前腿，身體重心後傾，為典型的控馬姿勢，紅色鬃毛結
movement. The finely painted, unglazed surface complements such 辮，馬鞍兩側有擋泥，俱繪紅彩，其他皮件繪黑彩。
confident lively modelling, allowing the art of the potter to dominate.
The Tang emperor Xuanzong (reigned AD 712-756), a great patron of 此馬塑造十分生動，抗拒之勢若可見前面控馬之人，馬口微張，若聞
the arts, famously kept a trained troupe of ‘dressage’-trained horses 嘶鳴之聲。馬俑廣見於唐代墓葬，墓葬等級愈高則塑造愈精美生動。
for his entertainment at court and this may explain the presence of 類似的控馬陶塑可參考兩例，一為紐約大都會博物館藏，館藏編號
this type of a refined prancing horse amongst contemporaneous tomb 67.62.2；一件為牛津阿什莫林博物館所藏，館藏編號LI1301.409。
furniture. According to Zhang Yue (667-731), a leading court official, 東京出光美術館藏有一件大致相似的他例，定為八世紀前半葉，見
these ‘heavenly horses’ came from west of the sea and danced with W.Watson著，《La Céramique Tang et Liao（唐代和遼代陶瓷）》，
bent knees and holding cups in their mouths ‘...nimbly prancing, 弗里堡，1984年，頁194。另可參考一對彩繪馬俑，2003年3月27日
keeping in step with the music’. 售於紐約蘇富比，拍品32號。

In 1972, similar ‘dancing’ horses were excavated from the high-ranking Oxford Authentication Ltd公司熱釋光檢測結果（1991年4月17日，
tomb of Zhang Shigui, commanding officer of Tang emperor Taizong 編號566q46）顯示年代與本拍品年代一致。
(r.629-649). Comparable examples of pottery prancing horses, Tang
dynasty, can also be found in the collections of the Metropolitan
Museum of Art, New York (acc.no. 67.62.2) and the Ashmolean
Museum, Oxford (acc.no.LI1301.409). See also a related horse, dated
to the first half of the 8th century, from the Idemitsu Museum, Tokyo,
illustrated by W.Watson, La Céramique Tang et Liao, Fribourg, 1984,
p.194.

A similar pair of pottery figures of prancing horses, Tang dynasty, was
sold at Sotheby’s New York, 27 March 2003, lot 32.

The result of Oxford Authentication Ltd. thermoluminescence test
no.566q46 dated 17 April 1991, is consistent with the dating of
this lot.

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