Ancient Chinese, Tang Dynasty Terracotta Rare Pair of Tang Dynasty Recumbent Pottery Horses, China, Tang Dynasty, 618–906 AD

Rare Pair of Recumbent Pottery Horses

China, Tang Dynasty (618–906 AD)
Shaanxi Province
Each approximately 6.5 × 11 × 4.5 cm
With original red and white pigments

Accompanied by Arch Angel certificates of authenticity, Hong Kong, dated 2005 and 2006
Presented on custom-made Perspex stands

A rare and highly appealing pair of small pottery figures depicting recumbent horses, originating from Shaanxi Province and dating to the Tang dynasty (618–906 AD).

The horses are represented resting on the ground, their bodies compactly modelled with the legs folded beneath them and their heads held upright. Despite their remarkably small scale, each figure possesses a strong sculptural presence. The elongated body, gently rounded hindquarters and alert positioning of the head convey the essential character of the horse with an economy of modelling typical of accomplished Tang funerary sculpture.

Both figures retain extensive traces of their original red and white pigmentation, giving an important impression of their original appearance. The bodies are predominantly covered with a warm reddish pigment, while contrasting lighter areas remain around the neck and head. Such surviving surface decoration is particularly attractive, as Tang pottery figures were originally conceived as brightly coloured objects rather than as the monochrome archaeological ceramics in which they are often encountered today.
According to the accompanying documentation, each horse was moulded in two sections, a construction method characteristic of Chinese tomb pottery production. Mould technology allowed workshops to produce the principal forms efficiently while individual finishing and painted decoration gave each figure its own character. Close inspection of the pair reveals subtle variations in modelling and surface, emphasizing that these are individually finished ancient objects rather than mechanically identical figures.

-The Horse in Tang China
The horse occupied an exceptional position in Tang-dynasty culture. During this period China maintained extensive political, military and commercial connections with Central Asia, and horses were associated with prestige, military strength, transportation and cosmopolitan court life. Fine horses were highly valued possessions, and representations of them became an important element within Tang funerary assemblages.
The majority of Tang horses encountered on the art market are shown standing, walking or dynamically posed. Recumbent or lying horses are considerably less commonly encountered, and examples of such modest scale have a particularly intimate character. Their quiet posture contrasts strongly with the celebrated prancing and saddled horses normally associated with Tang tomb sculpture.
What makes the present group especially attractive is that the two horses have survived together as a closely related pair. Their almost identical dimensions, comparable technique, related pigments and complementary modelling create a particularly harmonious ensemble. Small Tang recumbent horses are unusual individually; finding two closely related examples together is considerably more uncommon.

The horses have a longstanding European private provenance and are accompanied by their earlier Hong Kong documentation.

Provenance:
Arch Angel, Hong Kong, 2005–2006.
Acquired from the above by a private collector.
Private collection, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Each figure is accompanied by an individual Certificate of Authenticity issued by Arch Angel, identifying the object as a Tang-dynasty tomb pottery figure of a lying horse from Shaanxi Province.
One certificate is dated 8 May 2005, while the certificate accompanying the second horse is dated 11 January 2006. Both record the dimensions as approximately 6.5 cm high × 11 cm wide × 4.5 cm deep and specifically mention the surviving red and white pigments.

The existence of this documentation is an important addition to the history of the pieces, establishing their presence in the Hong Kong art market more than twenty years ago and documenting their attribution and provenance prior to entering the Amsterdam private collection.

The pair is displayed on specially commissioned transparent Perspex mounts, individually made to support and present the figures without visually competing with the ancient objects themselves. The clear mounts create a particularly elegant, almost floating presentation and allow the sculptural silhouettes and surviving painted surfaces of the horses to remain completely visible.

Their modest dimensions make them exceptionally easy to display, either as a pair within a collection of early Chinese ceramics or as small sculptural objects in their own right.
Combining rarity of subject, surviving ancient pigment, attractive small scale, early Hong Kong documentation and private Amsterdam provenance, this charming pair represents an unusual survival from the sophisticated funerary culture of Tang-dynasty China.

China, Tang Dynasty, 618–906 AD
Shaanxi Province
Pottery with red and white pigments
Dimensions: each approx. H. 6.5 × W. 11 × D. 4.5 cm
With two Arch Angel Certificates of Authenticity, Hong Kong, dated 2005 and 2006
Private collection, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Mounted on custom-made Perspex stands

-A certificate of authenticity from Becker Antiques (specialists in Chinese pottery since 1966, Amsterdam) will accompany the piece.

-Premium Authenticity Guarantee – Becker Antiques (Established 1966)

This is a high-value artwork, selected with the utmost care by Becker Antiques, a gallery founded in 1966 and based in a historic five-storey mansion in Amsterdam’s Museum Quarter.
Every premium piece we offer undergoes a rigorous authentication process based on nearly 60 years of specialist expertise. This includes:

• Detailed stylistic and typological analysis
• Assessment of condition, surface, and age-related characteristics
• Comparative research with museum and literature examples

We guarantee that this object is genuine, original, and exactly as described, with no modern, altered, or assembled elements unless clearly mentioned in the listing.

Becker Antiques is trusted by museums, collectors, and institutions worldwide. Each premium item is chosen for its authenticity, historical integrity, and exceptional quality.

For serious collectors or institutions wishing to receive additional documentation, we are always happy to assist.

-Shipping

The figure will be professionally packed and dispatched in a custom wooden crate within three working days, shipped by DHL with full insurance.