Beschreibung:

CHINESE TANG LEAPING HORSE AND RIDER PAIR Tang Dynasty, 618-907 AD A pair of ceramic figure of a leaping horses, the bodies decorated in red paint with spots to the mane and rump, mouth open to suggest exertion; female rider wearing long robe, the hair drawn into a high bun, hand raised, perhaps to hold attached reins. 9 kg total, 48cm each (19"). Finely modelled. [2] Provenance From the Cheuk family collection. Published Accompanied by an Art Loss Register certificate. Literature See Harrist, R. Power and Virtue: The Horse in Chinese Art, New York, 1997. Footnotes China entered an aristocratic age after the dissolution of the Han empire. The aristocrats of this period were both families of Chinese ancestry and elites of various non-Chinese peoples settled in the north. The latter were descended from the many peoples who originally occupied steppe territories north and west of the settled farming communities of North China. The imperial families of many of the Northern Dynasties were closely related by marriage alliances which continued into the Sui and Tang. A relatively small number of aristocratic families thus dominated the politics and court life of much of China in the Tang dynasty. Their tastes, fashions and habits became powerful influences on the growth of Chinese culture during this period. This figure was part of the burial assemblage of an important aristocrat and burials were constructed and furnished in accordance with restrictive sumptuary regulations that dictated the kind of tomb and the quality and quantity of grave goods. The aristocracy enjoyed both noble rank and official positions on a scale with as many as nine grades and tombs reflected the position of the owner within the political system. The tomb figures are superb examples of the of both the ceramic and sculptural arts that matured during this period. Their rapid development and high achievements are evidence of a society that placed great demands on the artists who crafted these works and rewarded them for their creativity.