**First Time At Auction**

East Asia, China, Tang Dynasty, ca. 618 to 907 CE. A hand-built pottery terracotta horse and rider of a beautiful presentation covered in white pigment. The regal rider wears flowing robes and faces forward in his saddle with a slightly upturned head meant to display his pinched facial features and bulbous courtier hat. The sizable horse beneath the rider lays bare its powerful physique and is shown standing with three of its four limbs. The equine head is raised and attentive in front of an incredibly muscular neck and exhibits one perky ear, a squat mane tracing down the neck, and a tapered snout that terminates with flared nostrils and a slender mouth. Size: 9.8" L x 3.8" W x 9.7" H (24.9 cm x 9.7 cm x 24.6 cm); 13.4" H (34 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private Cary, North Carolina, USA collection; ex-Victor Chio collection, Hong Kong, China, before 2002

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#156796

Repairs to left hind leg of horse as well as head and waistline of rider, with resurfacing and light adhesive residue along break lines. Losses to one full leg and lower portions of three remaining legs of horse as shown. Fading and abrasions to white pigment, with softening to some finer details of horse and rider, and small indentation to one side of horse. Nice earthen deposits, remains of pigment, and manganese deposits throughout.