Additional Images

Provenance:

C.C. Lai Antiques, Toronto, ON
来源：
C.C. Lai Antiques, 多伦多

Note:

The sancai, or ‘three-colour’ glaze, was developed in the seventh century, when Tang dynasty potters began experimenting with lively tones of green, amber, and yellow. These tri-coloured glazes were applied to finely modelled horses, highlighting their musculature, trappings, and dynamic forms, and producing figures of remarkable vitality and realism. Tang sancai horses were made for the tombs of elite individuals, reflecting both the status of the occupant and the enduring cultural and practical significance of the horse in ancient China.

Beyond their association with warfare, Tang sancai horses also played a role in the court’s leisurely pursuits, most notably polo, a sport promoted by emperors for its cultivation of martial skill. Many of these figures represent the celebrated Ferghana steeds, introduced from Central Asia and renowned for their speed, strength, and endurance, qualities that made them prized both on the battlefield and in sporting contexts. Tang potters captured these very qualities through the careful combination of tri-coloured glazes and meticulous modelling, producing figures that convey both the elegance and power of the animal while balancing realism and decorative refinement.

Compare with examples sold at Bonhams London, May 11, 2021, lot 67, price realised 27,750 GBP; Bonhams New York, July 21, 2020, lot 140, price realised 10,700 USD (14,700 CAD); and Christie's London, November 7, 2017, lot 3, price realised 10,000 GBP (18,800 CAD)
https://www.bonhams.com/auction/26397/lot/67/a-fine-sancai-glazed-pottery-model-of-a-horse-tang-dynasty/
https://www.bonhams.com/auction/26127/lot/140/a-sancai-glazed-pottery-horse-tang-dynasty/
https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6105909