Horse with rider; China, Tang dynasty, 618-906.

Horse with rider; China, Tang dynasty, 618-906.
Partially polychrome ceramic.
Attached thermoluminescence.
Measurements: 43 x 34 x 12 cm.
Figure of a horse with rider made in polychrome terracotta, probably with the usual engobes of the time (applied cold), which, possibly, has been part of a funeral trousseau of a prominent member of the Tang Dynasty. It stands out for the naturalism that the artist has portrayed. The Tang Dynasty is considered by historians as a time of splendor of Chinese civilization, equal or even superior to the Han period. Emerging after a period of despotism under the reign of the cruel Yang Di, it was established by Li Shimin who, moved by filial piety, put his father on the throne before assuming the role of emperor himself and founding the Tang dynasty. Stimulated by contact with India and the Middle East via the Silk Road, the Tang empire experienced a creative boom in numerous fields. Buddhism, which had emerged in India at the time of Confucius, continued to flourish during this period and was adopted by the imperial family, becoming an essential part of traditional Chinese culture. Likewise, the development of the printing press extended the dissemination of written works, giving rise to the golden age of Chinese art and literature. The great cultural opening will result in a fundamentally colorful, expressive and very eclectic art, although it continues to be mainly for funerary use, where the artist remains an anonymous craftsman. However, from this moment on, high-fired ceramics, decorated with enamels, will be used as a status symbol, with typologies such as vessels for the table of the litterateur and all kinds of crockery. Terracotta, on the other hand, is still used for grave goods, although stoneware will also be used from now on, especially for the tombs of nobles and scholars. In the funerary pieces, a group to which these bears belong, an important novelty is introduced: the tricolor lead glazes (sancai), although pieces decorated with engobes continue to be made. Within the grave goods there are six typological groups, each of them of great variety: tomb guardians, with warriors and protective beasts; ceremonial figures with their servants; animals of all kinds, such as oxen, camels or horses; musicians and court ladies; utensils and vessels; and finally architectural models. Likewise, three periods can be distinguished. In the first of these, between 681 and 683, figures decorated with engobes predominate, even without glazes, so the pieces presented here could be dated between these years. The second period, between 683 and 779, is the great period of the sancai, with a predominance of enamels. Finally, until the beginning of the 10th century, pieces with sancai enamels continued to be made, although of lower quality than those of the previous period.