Page 32 - Bonhams, The H Collection, Classical Chinese Furniture, May 13, 2021 London

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A RARE AND LARGE SANCAI-GLAZED POTTERY FIGURE OF A
MALE ATTENDANT
Tang Dynasty
The figure gracefully modelled standing on a low trapezoidal base, his
hands joined at the chest holding a pair of green and amber-glazed
slippers with upturned pointed toes, wearing a long and voluminous
pale-green-glazed robe enriched with a central amber streak and
secured by a loose belt over wide trousers, the unglazed round face
with well-articulated features picked out in black and red pigments
over white slip, the hair gathered in a double-bun topknot secured with
a black kerchief.
45cm (17 6/8in) high.
£20,000 - 30,000
CNY180,000 - 270,000
Sakamoto Goro (1923-2016)
唐 三彩侍俑 坂本五郎（1923-2016年）

Provenance:
Sakamoto Goro (1923-2016), Tokyo
Sotheby’s New York, 13 September 2016, lot 9
An important European private collection

Exhibited:
Kaikan Tokubetsu Shuppin Seihin Senshu (Special Opening Exhibition
- Anthology of Selected Masterpieces), Kyushu National Museum,
Fukuoka, 2005, no.41.

來源：
日本東京，坂本五郎（1923-2016年）舊藏
紐約蘇富比，2016年9月13日，拍品編號9
歐洲重要私人收藏

展覽：
「開館特展 —— 精品選集」，九州國立博物館，福岡，2005年，
編號41

Pottery figures of attendants such as the present example 俑頭戴樸頭，面容飽滿，無須無釉。身著圓領袍，捧鞋端立，頸下施
complemented a large array of accessories manufactured for 黃綠釉。
internment in burials belonging to high-ranking members of Tang
society. A miniature universe was thus created for the afterlife of the 形如本例的陶侍俑，應為陪葬高級貴族之用。古人認為祖先雖死猶
occupant through depictions of the earthly and heavenly realms. 在，只要恭謹對待，先祖便能福蔭後代。因此，墓葬常常是生者世
Receiving halls, garden settings and private quarters were painted 界的微型投射，其中可見現實生活中的各類必需品和生活場景。古
on the walls and complemented with images of official gatherings, 人相信陶俑等像生之物有復生之靈，各類物品也能夠像在現實生活
attendants, entertainers, horses, camels and daily utensils. On the 中一樣運作。參見J.Rawson著，〈The power of images: the model
vaulted ceiling, a heavenly environment was suggested by multiple universe of the First Emperor and its legacy〉，收錄於《Historical
floral combinations, scrolling clouds, star maps and mythical animals Research》，第75期，2002年，頁123-154；以及《Changes in the
symbolising the Four Directions. representation of life and the afterlife as illustrated by the content of
tombs of the T’ang and Song period》，收錄於《Arts of the Sung
Images in China were believed to ‘become alive’; in other words, and Yuan》，紐約，1996年，頁23-43。
to function just like their physical counterpart, so they could
perpetuate their benign effects to their viewers. For this reason, the 參考一例唐代藍釉陶俑，收錄於N.Wood著，《Chinese Glazes: Their
overall arrangements presented for the afterlife illuminate the social Origin, Chemistry and Recreation》，倫敦，1999年，頁237。另可參
and ideological context of the society which constructed it. See 見《Ausstellung Chinesischer Kunst》，柏林，1929年，編號333。
J.Rawson,’The power of images: the model universe of the First 另有一例唐三彩男俑，售於紐約佳士得，2015年3月16日，拍品編號
Emperor and its legacy’, in Historical Research, no.75, 2002, pp.123- 3227，可為參考。
154. See also ibid., ‘Changes in the representation of life and the
afterlife as illustrated by the content of tombs of the T’ang and Song
period’, Arts of the Sung and Yuan, New York, 1996, pp.23-43.

A related blue-glazed pottery figure of an attendant, Tang dynasty,
displaying physical features and in a posture similar to the present
example, is illustrated by N.Wood, Chinese Glazes: Their Origin,
Chemistry and Recreation, London, 1999, p.237. Another example is
illustrated in Ausstellung Chinesischer Kunst, Berlin, 1929, no.333.

A related glazed pottery figure of a male attendant, Tang dynasty, was
sold at Christie’s New York, 16 March 2015, lot 3227.

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