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LOT 2029
Chinese Tang Ceramic Horse and Rider with Dog
TANG DYNASTY, 618-907 A.D.
16 1/2 in. (3.9 kg, 42 cm high).
Modelled in the round standing on a rectangular base, the animal's head bowed down and turned slightly left, shown with a long and immaculately-kept mane, short dressed tail, saddle cloth decorated with an 'animal skin' pattern and a harness adorned with pendants; the male rider seated in the saddle wearing a knee-length robe and riding boots, his arms positioned to hold reins (absent), a domestic dog perched on a covering behind him; semi-naturalistic anatomical detailing to both figures, the rider shown with a full beard and moustache, wearing a cap.
ProvenanceAcquired 1980s-1990s.
Ex West Country collection.
Accompanied by an original thermoluminescence analysis report no. C122f84 from Oxford Authentication.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11702-199228.
Cf. The Metropolitan Museum, accession number 991.253.7a, b, for a broadly comparable figure.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
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Chinese Stone Bracelet
Neolithic Period, circa 3rd millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £98
Broad carved bangle with rounded rims. 270 grams, 83 mm wide
From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000. From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. -
Chinese Green Stone Bead and Pendant Group
Circa 19th-20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £39
Comprising an openwork pendant depicting a coin flanked by fishes; two stylised courtly lady figures pierced for suspension at the rear of the head; an openwork serpent pendant; seventeen spherical beads. 131 grams total, 11-53 mm
From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000. From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. -
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Chinese Tang Terracotta Camel with Rider
Tang Dynasty, 618-907 A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,600
Modelled in the round advancing on a polygonal base, head tossed backwards and mouth open exposing the animal's teeth and tongue, saddled with a camel bag decorated with beast heads, rider staring into the distance whilst playing a set of pipes held in his right hand, the left held lower with hand making a fist to grip reins; remains of polychrome pigmentation. 6.2 kg, 53 cm
Acquired 1990s. West Country, UK, collection. Accompanied by an original thermoluminescence analysis report no.CJ22522022 from Laboratory Kotalla. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11369-192727.
Camels symbolised the prosperity of the Silk Route- the trade routes between China, Europe, and the Middle East- as they were the main form of transportation in the caravans. A popular theme for Tang court painters and sculptors was that of foreign ambassadors submitting tribute to the emperor. Diplomatic missions and the concomitant opulent offerings were an important medium of international exchange. In the dynasty’s first decades, the Tang expanded control north and east to Goguryeo and Baekje in Manchuria and the Korean peninsula, north to the steppes of Mongolia, west to the deserts and oases of Central Asia, and south to parts of the present-day provinces of Guangxi, Yunnan, and northern Vietnam. These and other kingdoms sent staples and exotica: lions from Persia and rhinoceroses from the kingdom of Champa in south and central Vietnam, hawks from the Korean peninsula, ostriches sent by Western Turks, sandalwood from the Indonesian archipelago, cardamom from the coast of the Malay peninsula, indigo from Samarkand, and wool from Tibet. Even entertainers such as musicians, dancers, and performers, as depicted on this piece, were presented as gifts. As is evident in tomb paintings and figurines, international trade whetted a taste for striking and sumptuous fashions among the Tang elite. Leopard-skin hats and close-fitting sleeves, imitating the clothing of Central Asians and Persians to the west, were popular in the mid-8th century. High boots, practical for riding, were worn by both men and women, as were short tunics.
