A FINE AND MASSIVE GREY POTTERY PRANCING HORSE

Description:

China, Sichuan, Han dynasty
123 x 100 x 34 cm
The graceful horse modelled as if striding forward with its head raised with open mouth revealing rows of teeth below flaring nostrils and bulging eyes, the ears alertly pricked, the left foreleg and left rear leg extended, with short upright tail, traces of red pigment visible in a few places.
From an old South German private collection, acquired from Marc Richards, Los Angeles, in September 2000 - The result of Oxford Authentication Ltd TL test no. C100u27 is consistent with the dating of this lot - Repairs
Extremely large prancing horses of this type are believed to have originated in Sichuan province and can be compared to other excavated examples of this type, see a smaller example excavated from one of the Leshan rock tombs in Sichuan, published in Zhongguo Wenwu Jinghua Daquan. Taoci Juan, Taipei, 1993, no.375. Stylistically, this group of horses bear relation to the famous group of large bronze 'flying horses' excavated in Gansu in 1969, see W.Watson, The Genius of China, London, 1973, Catalogue no.222, where it is stated that this breed of tall horse was introduced from Central Asia at the beginning of the first century BC.