Lot 91
East Asia, China, Han Dynasty, ca. 206 BCE to 220 CE. A quietly compelling funerary grouping, this lot presents a pottery horse groom attended by two standing horses, modeled with the grounded clarity and humane presence characteristic of Han Dynasty mingqi figures. Intended for burial, these objects were created to populate the tomb with the comforts, labor, and status of earthly life, ensuring continuity beyond death. The groom stands upright with arms extended, frozen mid-gesture as if calming or presenting the animals. His simplified features and columnar body emphasize role over individuality, while surviving traces of pigment on the robe and face lend warmth and immediacy. The paired horses are robust and self-possessed, their rounded bodies, alert heads, and carefully articulated legs conveying strength and quiet discipline rather than motion. Size of largest (horse): 10.6" L x 3.5" W x 11" H (26.9 cm x 8.9 cm x 27.9 cm); of all together on custom stand: 15.5" L x 10.1" W x 13" H (39.4 cm x 25.7 cm x 33 cm)
Together, the figures form a composed triangular interaction that feels both intimate and ceremonial.
Horses held immense symbolic and practical importance during the Han period, associated with military power, trade, and imperial authority. In tomb contexts, such figures signaled rank and prosperity while also reflecting the dynasty's expanding horizons and reliance on horse culture tied to frontier exchange. The restrained modeling and balanced proportions reflect Han ideals of order, stability, and social harmony.
Mounted for display yet retaining their original funerary presence, this trio offers a rare glimpse into the visual language of Han burial practice, where sculpture served not spectacle but continuity, memory, and the careful structuring of the afterlife.
Provenance: private Las Vegas, Nevada, USA collection
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#194756
- Condition: All professionally repaired; restoration and repainting over some break lines, while others remain visible. Nicks and abrasions to surfaces, all commensurate with age. Otherwise, very nice overall presentation with good remaining pigments.
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