Lot 31
East Asia, China, Tang Dynasty, ca. 618 to 907 CE. A still and steady presence, this finely modeled pottery groom stands upright with arms at his sides and a calm yet alert demeanor. Crafted in earthenware with delicate traces of red, white, and black pigment, the figure wears a short tunic tied at the waist and tall boots suited to travel or stable work. His sharply defined facial features - almond-shaped eyes, a flared mustache, and a prominent beard - immediately mark him as a foreigner, likely from the western reaches of the Tang world. The beard, a striking feature, was a common marker of non-Han identity in Tang tomb sculpture and signals his role as one of the many Central or Western Asian attendants who traveled the Silk Road and served in China during this cosmopolitan era. His tall crested cap adds to the effect, offering both distinction and specificity of type. Size: 3.7" L x 7.3" W x 21" H (9.4 cm x 18.5 cm x 53.3 cm)
Figures like this were made as mingqi - spirit objects placed in elite tombs to serve and accompany the deceased in the afterlife. Foreign grooms, in particular, appear alongside horses, camels, and musicians, reflecting the wealth, reach, and diversity of Tang society. This example embodies the skill of Tang ceramicists, with its strong posture, stylized clothing, and expressive face combining to create a figure at once stately and lifelike.
Comparable works are held in major museum collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the British Museum, often discovered in northern Chinese tombs such as those near Xi'an in Shaanxi province. Despite minor pigment loss and age wear, this groom retains his vivid sense of character - a quiet guardian from a golden age of cultural exchange.
Provenance: Collection of Y. Kayvan, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired from a Los Angeles, California, USA gallery acquisition dates range from the late 1990s to 2005
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#194727
- Condition: Professionally repaired with restoration and repainting over break lines; all done very well and difficult to notice. Some nicks and abrasions to surface, commensurate with age. Otherwise, nice presentation with good remaining pigment. Mineral deposits in areas.
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