Page 193 - 2019 September 11th Sotheby's Important Chinese Art

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A LARGE SANCAI-GLAZED POTTERY The sophisticated and naturalistic modeling loads. While sculptures of horses with grooms
FIGURE OF A CAMEL AND GROOM of the present camel and rider as well as the are not uncommon, fewer examples of camels
TANG DYNASTY application of colorful glazes, suggest that and grooms are known.
the present work dates from the first half of A very similar sancai-glazed camel and
the lively animal modeled standing foursquare the 8th century, a period considered to be the groom group from the Toguri Museum of Art
on a rectangular base, the head raised and height of artistic achievement for Chinese tomb
rearing back, mouth agape as if braying, sculpture. This group comprising the grand Collection was sold in our London rooms, 9th
June 2004, lot 75. Compare also a related
nostrils flared and eyes bulging, a long flowing Bactrian camel and a foreign-attired groom, sancai-glazed camel and groom from the
ruff of curving tufts down the arching neck and illustrates the Tang dynasty’s international Chinhuatang Collection sold at Christie’s Hong
a sweptback mane atop the head, the body scope. During this period the Silk Road
amber-glazed, the front of the head, the locks flourished, allowing trade between China, Kong, 30th November 2016, lot 3305. For an
excavated example of a camel and its groom
of hair along the front of the neck, the slightly Europe and the Near East to thrive. Indicative see an unglazed figure of a camel and groom
leaning humps and curling tail picked out in of the trade route’s incredible breadth, the from the tomb of Peishi Xiaoniangzi, circa 850,
a pale straw glaze, the ruffle-hemmed saddle two-hump Bactrian camels were the preferred
blanket dappled in green, amber and straw means of transport for traders as they were Xi’an, Shaanxi province, in the Museum of the
Stelae, Xi’an, and illustrated in Elfried Regina
glazes; the standing attendant modeled with capable of traveling farther distances than Knauer, The Camel’s Load in Life and Death,
the torso and head turning to the right, one arm the single-hump Arabian camels. Ox carts Zurich, 1998, pl. 50.
raised, the other outstretched at the waist with were slow and cumbersome, and horses were
fists clenched as if securing the reins of the expensive and not capable of bearing heavy 唐 三彩駱駝及人俑
spirited animal, wearing a Persian-style robe
with wide lapels and secured by a knotted sash 來源
around the waist, splashed with chestnut, green Pauline Palmer Wood (1917-1984) 收藏
and straw glazes, the head, hands and boots 1969年贈予芝加哥藝術博物館，芝加哥，
unglazed (2)
Height of camel 32½ in., 82.6 cm 館藏編號1969.787a及1969.787b
Height of groom 23½ in., 59.7 cm
PROVENANCE
Collection of Pauline Palmer Wood (1917-1984).
Gifted to the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago in
1969 (acc. nos 1969.787a and 1969.787b).
$ 50,000-70,000

EARLY CHINESE CERAMICS FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO 191