Tang dynasty (618-907)
The richly decorated animal is standing foursquare on a rectangular plinth with canted corners. The head is well modelled with flared nostrils, prominent eyes, open mouth showing its teeth, its forelock is parted in the middle between the pricked ears, and the mane is trimmed short. Its head is tied with an ornamental bridle and moulded shell-shaped bells are suspending from the chest strap.The crupper strap extending below the docked tail has pendant foliage ornaments which also covers the forehead, cheeks and mouth. The shaped saddle with arched frame rests on a double saddle blanket decorated with a lozenge pattern in red, white and turquoise pigments, the lower blanket has rosettes in relief.
Height 55 cm
Horses with as many fine details as the present example are rare. The traces of pigment in turquoise is also unusual. A Tang horse with polychrome painting on the saddle in turquoise and red pigments is illustrated by Victor Choi in Horses for Eternity, Hong Kong 2007, No 116
The result of Oxford Authentication Ltd. Test No C124a2 is consistent with the dating of this piece
EF 64 唐 彩繪陶馬
時代：唐朝，618至907年。
特徵：配飾華麗的陶馬勁立於長方底座上，戴貝殼鈴鐺攀胸，馬背跨鞍，鞍褥飾紅、白與松石綠色的菱格圖紋，障泥上浮雕玫瑰花結，鞍後繞杏葉式鞦。此器年代經牛津鑑定公司認證，編號C124a2。
尺寸：高55公分。
