A matching pair of massive pottery horses with riders, Chinese, Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907).

This matching pair from the same tomb comes with a TL test from Ralf Kotallas lab, dating them to ca. 800 AD - so 1200 years old.

The set consists of a two similar horses brown coloured with details in red and white, lovely long dressed manes and large sadles, with a female and male rider. The female rider with her right hand thrown back and seated in a relaxed pose. The male rider, foreign with painted details, possibly an Armenian, wearing Persian cap, tunic, trousers and boots, with shaggy beard, holding on to the mane of his horse with one hand, both riders looking to the side.
On the back of both horses a small tiger or cat is seated, very charming feature.

The introduction of Islam to China began during the reign of Emperor Gaozong, with missionaries such as Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, a maternal uncle to the Prophet Muhammad. The seaport at Guangzhou in southern China became one of the largest seaports in the world, hosting foreign travellers throughout maritime Asia. The Tang capital city of Chang'an became well known as a multicultural metropolis filled with foreign travellers, dignitaries, merchants, emissaries, and missionaries.

The style of the horses and the colouring as well of the very large size of these horses, makes the pair truely museum quality and surely among the best horses we've had to offer in many years!

Size: ca. 54 cm. tall and about 48-49 cm. long, both quite heavy.

Condition: Choice and intact with most pigment preserved. There's always some restoration to these Tang horses, especially to the legs and smaller details, but these are very good for the types and no visible repairs.

Ex. Danish Collection