Tomb Figure of a Standing Horse

Place of OriginChina

DateTang Dynasty (618-907), 700-750

DimensionsH: 18 1/4 in.

MediumEarthenware with polychrome ("three-color") glaze

ClassificationSculpture

Credit LinePurchased with funds from the Libbey Endowment, Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey

Object number

1950.311

Not on View

DescriptionThis low-fire ceramic horse stands on a thin, rectangular ceramic base, its head turned slightly to its proper left. The figure is hollow, likely constructed from a multi-mold process, with applied elements like the saddle, saddle blanket, bridle, and decorative tear-shaped accoutrements. A white ground layer was applied to the earthenware body before thin, brush-applied glazes of brown, green, and blue were added. Glaze drips are visible on the top side of the base.

Label TextThis magnificent horse was created to be placed in the tomb of a high-ranking person during China's Tang Dynasty (618-907). Such figures, known as mingqi (spirit objects), provided for the deceased's needs in the afterlife. This horse is decorated with a "three-color" (sancai) glaze, a technique perfected during this period, featuring drips of brown, green, and blue. Its detailed saddle and bridle show the importance of horses for the military, trade, and aristocracy of Tang China. Experts note that figures like this were made in official workshops and rationed to the elite, replacing the earlier custom of burying valuable gold and silver.Published ReferencesUnpublished.