A fine 'sancai' -glazed earthenware horse

Description:

China, Tang dynasty
H. 49,5 cm
Finely moulded horse with a saddle üstanding on a rectangular plinth over a spotted saddlecloth, its head turned slightly to the left. The bridle is also covered with mottled glaze, which decorates the amber-coloured glazed horse. This ceramic horse was part of a set of figurines depicting a procession belonging to the tomb of a high-ranking person. In ancient China, tombs were equipped with all the items needed in the afterlife - including horses as an important means of transport.
From an important Southern German private collection, collected before 2007
A very äsimilar horse is in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, publ. Neils, Jenifer. The World of Ceramics: Masterpieces from the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland, OH: The Museum in cooperation with Indiana University Press, 1982. Mentioned: cat. no. 98, p. 93 - Minor rest.