Page 124 - Chinese Art Paris Auction Christie's December 2017

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DEUX RARES ET IMPORTANTES TETES
EN PIERRE
CHINE, DYNASTIE SONG DU NORD (960-1127)
L’un a le visage rond et serein. Les yeux sont
surmontés d’arcades sourcilières subtilement
dessinées. L’autre a le visage sévère, les sourcils
froncés. Les deux personnages portent une haute
coife rehaussée de motifs foraux stylisés et de
médaillons contenant des feurs et des insectes
maintenus par une bride jugulaire sous le menton :
restaurations.
Hauteurs: 52 et 54 cm. (20Ω and 21º in.), socles
€80,000-120,000 $94,000-140,000
£72,000-110,000
PROVENANCE
Private collection, Thailand since 1960’s.
Private collection, Germany since 2010 by direct
descent from the above
TWO RARE AND IMPORTANT STONE HEADS
CHINA, NORTHERN SONG DYNASTY (960-1127)
北宋 石頭像 一組兩件
來源：
1960年代起為泰國私人珍藏
於2010年經以上家族傳承，現為德國私人珍藏

B oth over-life size stone heads once topped
imposing fgures that fanked the same so-called
Spirit Path to the mausoleum of a high-ranking
person. The Chinese burial system that emerged
during the later Han period saw the development
of secular stone sculptures both above and below
the ground. For centuries and centuries large stone
sculptures were placed along the entry paths to
the tombs of emperors, princes and other high
placed members of the court. Often in pairs facing
each other or from the Song dynasty onwards as
well two of each kind placed next to each other.
Amongst these large funerary stone sculptures
one fnd a large variety of animals, civil oficials,
generals, guardians, foreigners, grooms fanking
horses as well tall pillars topped with animals.
If one compares the stone heads to be ofered with
examples in situ, it is possible to assign one as a
civil oficial while the other with the raised bushy
eyebrows most likely as a groom (see: Angela Falco
Howard [et al], ‘Chinese Sculpture’, Yale University,
New Haven 2006, page 186, plate 2.84).
Both presented heads show each a headdress
with a broad horizontal band sculpted in low
relief with various ornamental musters. It seems
that these broader bands are common amongst
Northern Song dynasty examples (Howard: pls.
2.80, 2.81 and 2.84). Hereafter the horizontal band
diminishes in size as can clearly be judged from
Ming examples and illustrated in Howard, pls. 2.91
and 2.93. These Ming period headdresses are
also executed with tapering pins while an earlier
Northern Song example in situ just show rosettes
at the same spot (Howard: plate 2.81). These
rosettes can be found as well on both presented
examples. Furthermore Ming dynasty male statues
are sculpted with beard and moustache. Pre-
Ming examples seem to be clean-shaven like our
examples. Therefore it is proposed to date both
ofered stone heads to the Northern Song dynasty
(960-1127 AD).

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