Page 18 - Christie's Fine Chiense Works of Art November 2018 London

PROPERTY OF A EUROPEAN LADY
8
A LARGE PAINTED POTTERY FIGURE OF A PRANCING HORSE
TANG DYNASTY (618-907)
The horse is naturalistically modelled with the right leg raised, the mouth
open and the head turned slightly to the left. The saddle is covered with a cloth
gathered on either side and the trappings are hung with tassels. There are
traces of black, dark red, reddish-orange and gilt pigments.
20Ω in. (52.1 cm.) high, wood stand
£60,000-80,000 $79,000-100,000
€67,000-89,000

PROVENANCE
The Mount Trust Collection of Chinese Art.
With John Sparks, London, 1976.
EXHIBITED
Oriental Ceramic Society, The Arts of the T’ang Dynasty, London, 1955, no. 49.
Victoria and Albert Museum, The Mount Trust Collection of Chinese Art,
London, 1970, no. 25 (illustrated on the front cover of the catalogue).

Horses in Tang-dynasty China were admired for their speed, with strength,
and intelligence, and not only were they important in the realms of travel
and war, they also played a big role in the leisure activities of the noble, such
polo horses for sport and trained dancing horses for entertainment. It was
from this great love of horses that we see impressive tomb fgures of horses
standing foursquare, prancing (such as the current lot), and mid-gallop
bearing a polo player in action. The vivacity of the current lot is expressed in
its open mouth, alert expression, prancing posture, and the modelling of the
jingling bells that decorate its harness. Compare prancing horses that are
also elaborately decorated sold at Sotheby’s New York, 15 March 2017, lot
599, Christie’s New York, 20 September 2005, lot 174, and a further horse 4
June 1992, lot 233.
唐 彩繪陶馬

來源: 歐洲私人珍藏
於1976年購自倫敦古董商John Sparks

展覽:
東方陶瓷協會，《The Arts of the Tang Dynasty》，倫
敦，1955年，編號49
維多利亞及阿爾伯特博物館，《The Mount Trust
Collection of Chinese Art》，倫敦，1970年，編號25 (見於
圖錄封面)

16 Other fees apply in addition to the hammer price – see Section D of our Conditions of Sale at the back of this Catalogue