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THBChinese Han Dynasty Terracotta Horse, TL Tested
Lot 148
About Seller
Artemis Gallery
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
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Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$2,500 - $3,500
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About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Jun 10, 2021
Set Reminder
2021-06-10 10:00:00
2021-06-10 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities | Asian | Ethnographic
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-asian-ethnographic-7012
Museum-worthy examples of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Viking, Near Eastern, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Russian, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine Art, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Museum-worthy examples of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Viking, Near Eastern, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Russian, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine Art, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (408)
- Lot Description
East Asia, China, Early Han Dynasty, ca. 206 BCE to 220 CE. A magnificent mold-made earthenware horse, finely modeled and covered with nice traces of white and grey pigments. Standing proudly, the noble steed presents an expressive visage with wide-open eyes, a pronounced snout with flared nostrils, and an open mouth displaying a bottom row of carefully incised teeth, all topped by a pair of raised alert ears. A relief bridle rests on its back, while a risen mane adorns the curve of its neck. The ancient animal is rendered in fine detail with skillfully delineated hooves and musculature, as well as a perforation on its posterior which previously served for insertion of a long, flowing horse tail. During the Han dynasty, the ancients placed special mingqi figures like this hollow horse in tombs of the elite to ensure a safe journey to the afterlife. Size: 16.75" L x 4.75" W x 17.75" H (42.5 cm x 12.1 cm x 45.1 cm); 18.75" H (47.6 cm) on included custom stand.
During this period of Chinese history, horses came from the Ferghama Valley in Central Asia - present day Afghanistan. When elite individuals passed away, "walking" terracotta Ferghama horses displaying an immense degree of attention to detail, like this example, were created to carry the deceased into the hereafter. The horse, second only in importance to the dragon, was believed to possess magical powers. The number of horses owned by an individual ensured his high status in the afterlife.
Tomb statues like this horse are part of a class of artifacts called mingqi - sometimes known as "spirit utensils" or "vessels for ghosts." They became popular in the Han Dynasty and would persist for several centuries. Alongside figures like this one were musicians, athletes, animals, structures… Even though they were mass produced, mingqi of the Han Dynasty often show a high level of detail and naturalism. These were designed to assist the po, the part of the soul of the deceased that remained underground with the body while the hun, the other part of the soul, ascended. Caring for the po seems to have taken on a new level of meaning in the Han period, with more elaborate rituals and tomb construction arising.
This piece has been tested using thermoluminescence (TL) analysis and has been found to be ancient and of the period stated. A full report will accompany purchase.
Provenance: private S.H. collection, Santa Clara, California, USA, acquired in 1995; ex-Folk Art International, Menlo Park, San Francisco, California, USA
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
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#164642Repaired from several pieces with most break lines visible, though restoration over some. A few stable pressure fissures to body. Expected chips, nicks, and abrasions, commensurate with age. Otherwise, very nice with liberal remains of pigment. TL drill holes on left side and under jaw.Condition
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