Terracotta horse, Tang dynasty (618 - 906)

A figure modelled in red terracotta and polychrome with a base of mineral pigments. The body of the animal is hollow and has an opening in the lower part of the belly.

It depicts a standing horse, realistic and imposing, in an elegant pose on a rectangular pedestal. The body is robustly built, voluptuous and the neck is muscular. The posture with the right paw raised, the head tilted and turned, the ears raised and the mouth open has a martial and moving appearance. The artist who modelled this piece was able to capture the moment, the details and the gesture of the animal, as it represents the art of the dance displayed during the emperor's birthday. This form is less well represented than the horses standing on all four legs.

There are traces of red, white and black engobe or polychrome on the surface, which are fairly well preserved and mark the details of the saddle. The mane and tail are shown in a hole where natural materials were inserted to simulate the horse's mane, but these have not been preserved because they are perishable. 

On the back there is a saddle, modelled and highlighted with black and white polychrome, with the reins and fastenings drawn in black, which stand out against the copper-red body. The sides of the saddle are decorated with medallions or copper-foil decorations. The saddle indicates a domesticated animal. Horses were symbols of wealth, as only a few high-ranking people were allowed to keep one according to the sumptuary laws of the time. In particular, breeds imported from the Middle East were used by the nobility and higher classes.

A similar horse, with applied medallions, was auctioned at Sotheby's, London, in June 1997, lot number 5.

Height: 31 cm; Length: 31.50 cm. 

Its state of preservation is exceptional, considering its age. It shows some minor restorations, although it retains its integrity. Its good state of preservation is due to the fact that no groundwater penetrated the burial. 

Documentation:

It is accompanied by a report and "Thermoluminescence Test" carried out by the TL Laboratory of the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM). Report no.: 10060I, year 2002. The result confirms, from the extraction of material from the piece, compatibility with ceramic materials fired in the Tang dynasty period.

Provenance:

Spanish private collection. 

This important private collection comes from a successful national and international construction and investment businessman who lived in different parts of Spain and the South of France. This part of the collection, exhibited exclusively for the first time at auction, focuses on Chinese ceramics from the Tang dynasty and is a collection of museum quality pieces. The family's tradition of travel dates back to the success of an ancestor who in the 1930s travelled to Manila, Shanghai, Cairo, Havana, etc., practising the sport of "cesta punta", and in particular, motivated by an interest in discovering different cultures, which led them to build up a large collection. In general, their interest in art is such that their collection includes pieces of both Asian and European origin.

The acquisition of the collection began in the 1990s and was built up during years of study in Madrid and on various trips to Paris, New York, Hong Kong, Spain and Germany; at reputable antique dealers such as "Arch Angel" in Hong Kong and international auctions such as Nagel. To this end, specialists have also collaborated in the selection, study and verification of the pieces, as can be seen in the accompanying documentation: invoices, studies and reports.

Further information:

Horses were tamed long before the Tang dynasty and it was already customary to introduce "mingqi" in the form of horses with harnesses or attached to carriages into funerary trousseaux, even as early as the Shang dynasty. Figures of horses were included alongside guardian spirits, camels and everyday utensils modelled in clay.