A large pottery figure of a horse, Han dynasty

拍品描述

Property of an English Private Collector Height 104 cm, 41 in. This monumental horse epitomises the fascination of the Han dynasty elite with horses. First introduced to China from Central Asia across the Silk Road, horses soon became key elements of the Han visual language as symbols of wealth and power. Particularly beloved were those described as the 'heavently horses' (tianma) of the Ferghana Valley which were said to be favourites of the Han Emperors, known for their indefatigable spirit, stocky barrells and straight legs. The dating of this lot is consistent with the result of a thermoluminescence test, Oxford Authentication Ltd., no. C97j72

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