Ancient Chinese

Important Chinese funerary terracotta group in polychrome representing a mounted rider, ancient China, attributable to the Six Dynasties / Wei dynasties period, around the 4th–5th century CE. The sculpture, 36.5 cm high, 26.5 cm wide and 2.23 kilograms in weight, features a powerfully modeled horse standing on a rectangular base, bearing a rider dressed in a long tunic and wearing a characteristic headdress. The ensemble retains significant traces of ancient polychromy in red, ochre, cream and gray-brown tones. The highly graphic treatment of the horse’s head, its large circular eyes, the deliberately stylized silhouette of the animal, and the hieratic bearing of the rider give this piece a particularly strong presence. This type of sculpture belongs to the Chinese tradition of mingqi, funeral objects made to accompany the deceased in the afterlife. Representations of riders gain particular importance during the centuries corresponding to the Six Dynasties and the Northern Dynasties, a period marked by the growing role of cavalry in society and in funerary iconography. The piece is accompanied by an extensive thermoluminescence report from Labor Ralf Kotalla, Germany, dated February 26, 2001, report No. 010243. The laboratory performed four samplings directly on the object: – the base; – the right leg; – the horse’s chin; – the rider’s back. The result concludes that the clay is “fired in antiquity” and estimates the last firing at 1,650 years ± 170 years before the date of analysis. This scientific dating places the firing of the terracotta within a range compatible with late antique China and the Six Dynasties period. The report explicitly identifies the object as a “Reiterfigur aus gebranntem Ton” – a terracotta rider figure – from China. The original photograph of the object is included on the certificate, enabling its direct identification. Dimensions Height: 35.5 cm Depth: approximately 27 cm Width: 11 cm Weight: 2.232 kg Condition: Good overall condition considering its age. Surface wear, losses of polychromy, deposits, small gaps, cracks and irregularities consistent with age and the archaeological nature of the object. High-definition photographs form an integral part of the description and allow precise appreciation of the conservation state. Authentication: Thermoluminescence report Ralf Kotalla Report No. 010243 Date: 26 February 2001 Result: fired in antiquity TL dating: 1,650 years ± 170 years Four samplings carried out on different parts of the object. The original illustrated report will be given to the buyer with the sculpture. Provenance: China. Former European private collection. Professionally packed with particular care, suitable for archaeological terracotta. Tracked and insured shipping during transit.

Stima:€4,500

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