Chinese earthenware horse with detachable head in Han style – painted terracotta

Chinese pottery horse with detachable head in Han style – painted terracotta

An impressive Chinese pottery horse in the style of the Han dynasty (206 BC–220 AD): a hollow, hand-formed body of grey-beige terracotta with a detachable head that fits into the neck. Beneath the body are four oval openings into which wooden legs were originally inserted; as with almost all surviving examples, these have been lost. This is precisely what gives the figure its powerful, almost abstract silhouette: a stylised horse’s head with open mouth and flared nostrils on a compact, rounded body.

Of particular note is the detailed painting still preserved on the body. Over a layer of red pigment, the harness and a saddle cloth have been painted in dark red/aubergine, white and black: a rectangular cloth with a grid of red dots (photo 11), a red disc beside white areas with fine black brush lines (photo 12) and curling red lines along the flank (photo 13). Traces of red and black pigment can be seen around the eyes and muzzle (photo 9).

Why we chose this piece

This ‘body and head’ type is one of the most iconic forms of early Chinese tomb art. The horse appeals to us for its modern, sculptural form combined with the rich, weathered layer of painting: a piece that looks both archaic and surprisingly contemporary. Comparable body-and-head figures in Han style are offered by international auction houses and art dealers.

Style and interior

A strong accent on a plinth, sideboard or in a bookcase. The horse suits a wabi-sabi, japandi or minimalist interior, but is just as much at home among antiques, in a collector’s interior or in a sleek modern interior, where it brings in warm earthy tones.

Important to know

No thermoluminescence test (TL test) or documented provenance is known. The form, construction and painting correspond to the Han period, but the age has not been scientifically established. We therefore describe the horse as ‘in Han style’; a TL test can be arranged by the buyer if desired.

Dimensions: body 52 cm wide x 20 cm high (depth to follow shortly); head 25 cm high x 26 cm deep; total height with head approx. 45 cm
Material: hand-formed terracotta (earthenware) with red, dark red, white and black pigment
Style: Han dynasty (body-and-head figure with sockets for wooden legs)
Period: age not established (no TL test)
Origin: China
Condition: used, weathered condition. The wooden legs are missing (the four sockets are visible, photo 19); the head is detachable and fits into the neck (photo 17). Painting partly worn and flaked, with remains of earth. At one leg socket a crack runs through the rim (photo 20); small chips and knocks on the flank and at the nostrils (photos 9 and 16). Earth deposits inside the head and body (photo 18). No glue lines seen, but restorations cannot be ruled out without further examination.

Price:
price on request

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