Origin: China Circa: 580 AD to 618 AD Dimensions: 7.5" (19.1cm) high Collection: Chinese Art Style: Sui Dynasty Medium: Terracotta

Origin: China Circa: 580 AD to 618 AD Dimensions: 7.5" (19.1cm) high Collection: Chinese Art Style: Sui Dynasty Medium: Terracotta   « Less

Origin: China Circa: 581 AD to 618 AD Collection: Chinese Style: Sui Medium: Terracotta Condition: Very Fine

Origin: China Circa: 581 AD to 618 AD Collection: Chinese Style: Sui Medium: Terracotta Condition: Very Fine   « Less

This outstanding horseman dates from the Sui period, which is stylistically intermediate between the dual paradigms of Han and T’ang styles. It therefore shows the  More »

This outstanding horseman dates from the Sui period, which is stylistically intermediate between the dual paradigms of Han and T’ang styles. It therefore shows the exuberant line of the former and the anatomical certainty of the latter, to remarkable effect. The piece depicts a warhorse, with elongated legs, an arched neck and open mouth. The rendering is exquisite, with protuberant musculature on the shoulders and limbs, careful subtractive modelling of the facial features and linear detailing of the mane and other surface anatomy. The pose of the animal suggests exhaustion – albeit with perfect poise – which is strangely at odds with the horse’s evidently relaxed pace, and the behaviour of his rider. The warrior is depicted in a decidedly un- martial pose, with an ornate hairstyle, a long coat and a trouser tunic, playing a set of pipes. He is unarmed, and scarcely seems dressed for battle. His face and hair are carefully picked out and painted with dark paint, contrasting with the orangey-red of the background clay and the paler pigment. Something can perhaps be made of this piece’s significance in light of the Sui Dynasty’s history.The Sui Dynasty was founded in a series of bloody conflicts and retributions between the Northern Qi and Zhou Dynasties towards the end of the 6th century AD. In order to gain power, Wendi – the first emperor – had 59 other aspirants to the throne put to death, reclaiming his Han surname (Yang) and reversing many of the anti-Confucian doctrines that had been put in place after the Han supremacy. He also abolished the corrupt 9-rank system, introduced land equalisation, and instituted major social change out of all proportion to the dynasty’s short duration. The Dynasty was bent upon recapturing the southern portion of China (Chen Dynasty) that had broken away during the preceding periods, and reunifying it into a single China, and to this end raised an army of over half a million and the largest fleet ever seen in 588 AD. The Chen immediately collapsed and ceded power, upon which their capital was razed to the ground and its riches plundered and taken back to the north; these proved to be the basis of most of the Sui Dynasty’s stylistic conventions.Wendi and his successors were both humanitarian and ruthless. While admired for his efforts to build infrastructure and provide economic safety nets, he also introduced savagely arduous compulsory labour and taxation to fuel a set of highly ambitious military campaigns beyond China’s borders. His son Yangdi did not have any of his father’s diplomatic skills, however, and did not seek to appease any potentially powerful enemies. Military spending was phenomenal, and it was this that spelt the end of the dynasty. His forays into Vietnam, Goguryeo and Korea proved disastrous, with about 2.1 million casualties – many of them to malaria – while a series of ambitious development plans (such as the Grand Canal) bled the treasury dry. Perhaps their most lasting architectural achievement was the rebuilding of the Great Wall. Eventually, the agricultural base of China was being damaged by the ceaseless conscription, leading to a revolt that ushered in the T’ang Empire.The monarchs of the Sui Dynasty continued to practice Buddhism as the main state religion. It has been argued that it was Buddhism, in fact, that rescued China from its previous turmoil and social disparity; it, and the monarch who wielded it, proved to be the unifying force that made the Sui Dynasty work. The iconography of the period owes much to this religious tendency. Being in many respects a highly militarised state, Sui public art is usually somewhat austere (especially the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas) yet their smaller- scale works are usually less restrained. Social ordering was everything, as today, and people were anxious to assert their rank through extravagant shows which extended to the afterlife. Mingqi remained very important, and this is an excellent example of the genre in which one might glimpse something of the martial aspirations of the period from which it comes. Yet at the same time it is a charmingly informal piece of someone who is evidently a high-ranking member of Sui society, and a far gentler representation than might be expected from a Sui piece.This is a beautiful piece of ancient Chinese art. - (DK.160 (LSO))   « Less

Origin: China Circa: 618 AD to 906 AD Dimensions: 14.25" (36.2cm) high Collection: Chinese Art Style: Tang Dynasty Medium: Terracotta

Origin: China Circa: 618 AD to 906 AD Dimensions: 14.25" (36.2cm) high Collection: Chinese Art Style: Tang Dynasty Medium: Terracotta   « Less

Origin: China Circa: 618 AD to 906 AD Dimensions: 9" (22.9cm) high Collection: Chinese Art Style: Tang Dynasty Medium: Terracotta

Origin: China Circa: 618 AD to 906 AD Dimensions: 9" (22.9cm) high Collection: Chinese Art Style: Tang Dynasty Medium: Terracotta   « Less

Two painted earthenware figurines of female dancers, white pigmented faces with red lips, upswept hair in high bun, high waisted flowing floor-length gown with frontal  More »

Two painted earthenware figurines of female dancers, white pigmented faces with red lips, upswept hair in high bun, high waisted flowing floor-length gown with frontal central pleat revealing trefoil upturned shoes, traces of original pigmentation remain. One arm folded backward behind the back, the other raised and bent at an angle, the long sleeve covering the hand to mimic a dance movement.Music, as well as dance, was highly appreciated by the Tang aristocracy who would indulge frequently in lavish displays. The atmosphere was well captured by the poet Du Fu (712-770), who in his “Song of the Beautiful Ladies” provides a poetic description of these entertainments:“Third month, third day, in the air a breath of newness: By Chang’ An riverbanks the beautiful ladies crowd, Warm-bodied, modest-minded, mild and pure, With clear sleek complexions, bone and flesh well matched, In figured-gauze robes that shine in the late spring, worked with golden peacocks, silver unicorns. On their heads what do they wear? Kingfisher glinting from hairpins that dangle by side lock borders. On their back what do I see? Pearls that weight the waistband and subtly set off the form." [Watson 1984: 222]Early Tang music and dance stemmed out of Central Asia, from Silk Road centres such as Kucha and Sogdiana. The Central Asian musical influence is well reflected in the inventory of musical instruments, which included small drums and cymbals, barbarian lutes (hu pipa) and horizontal harps (hangkou) of clear Central Asian derivation. These exotic instruments were preferred during the Tang period possibly because they would have been easy to carry around for less formal performances.According to archaeological findings, Chinese dance has a history of over five thousand years. Until the Han dynasty (206 B. C. - A. D. 220), most of the Chinese dances originated and were maintained by from the folks. Only during the Han period, a musical entertainment court was established for the imperial family, which was essentially a centre for systematically documenting and enhancing folk songs and dances.Because of the political stability and the economic prosperity of the Tang dynasty, poetry, music and dance were given opportunities to flourish. The Tang dynasty has been regarded as the golden age for dance in ancient China. Dances in the Tang dynasty inherited techniques that were developed in the past dynasties such as Zhou, Qin, Han, Wei, Jin, and Nanbei. During the early Tang period, Buddhism was introduced to China and because trade and social relationship with other countries rapidly expanded, dances was influenced by folk dances of other countries such as India, Rome, Persia (Iran), Korea, Cambodia, Burma, Vietnam, and other Central Asian countries, through the Silk Road. In addition, it also combined with other forms of fine arts such as painting, scenery, and colourful costumes as well as poetry, classical music and drama. The combination of these multi-faceted traditions brought the performing arts to a new peak of entertainment.Even the emperors of the Tang dynasty paid significant attention to the development of the Chinese dance and music, often by directly contributing to this effort. Among them, Emperor Li Shimin who personally composed the song Pozhen yuetu, which was successfully staged for a major dance festival and was later introduced to India, Turfan (Xinjiang), and Japan, and Emperor Li Lonji (also known as Tang Minhuang), who composed another brilliant piece of music called Nishang yuyi. Tang Minhuang used graceful traditional dance techniques combining with marvelous Indian dance skills and music to portray an elegant fairyland with beautiful maidens. Staged by Tang Minhuang, danced by his famous concubine and dancer Yang Guifei, and music played by Liyuan, the Nishang yuyi dance has been regarded as one of the splendid treasures in China's dance history.The cosmopolitan emphasis in music and dance during the Tang is well reflected in some of the astonishing high Tang murals in cave 178 of the Mogao complex in Dunhuang (Gansu province). Everywhere, even in specifically religious themes such as the preaching of the Buddha, images of dancers often accompany the narrative.The magnificent dance of the Tang period was the result of inheriting the traditions, enhancing the Chinese classical and folk dance techniques, as well as widely incorporating music and dance skills from other countries. Due to the broad spectrum of styles, characteristics and topics, dance was one of the favorite performing arts and was very well received by almost every social class during the Tang period. It also played a significant role in the social relationship among different countries as well as different ethnic groups. The Chinese classical dance has passed from generation to generation, and is still practiced by the Chinese classical and folk dance community.Our elegant pair of female dancers manages to crystallise in a single untouched pose, the beauty and enjoyment Tang people must have felt in such a thriving period of musical and artistic creativity.Cf: Wang Kefen, "The History of Chinese Dance," Wai Yuyan Chubanshe, Beijing, China, 1985.Smallest height 10.25 inches - (LA.558)   « Less

Signed miniature mid-century Wallakra Danish pottery vase.Measures about 3 inches in height. Very good condition. With incised W in base. Size Overall Dimensions3" H 7.6cm  More »

Signed miniature mid-century Wallakra Danish pottery vase.Measures about 3 inches in height. Very good condition. With incised W in base. Size Overall Dimensions3" H 7.6cm H   « Less

CRT: CRT3107333,Age: ca. 1900,Measurements: 23"dia. x 28"h,Description: Brown Pottery Lamp.

CRT: CRT3107333,Age: ca. 1900,Measurements: 23"dia. x 28"h,Description: Brown Pottery Lamp.   « Less

Pre Columbian pottery storage vessel with rams' head handles. This period pre Columbian rams head ceramic storage vessel is in excellent original condition with just one  More »

Pre Columbian pottery storage vessel with rams' head handles. This period pre Columbian rams head ceramic storage vessel is in excellent original condition with just one small rim chip. The handles are made to look like rams' heads. This "Pre Columbian" earthenware storage vessel or pot measures four and one half inches high and has a top opening of 2 and one eighth inches. Wonderful dry patina, just the way we like to see it.   « Less

CRT: CRT3107335,Age: ca. 1900,Measurements: 33"h x 26"w including shade,Description: Black Pottery Lamp.

CRT: CRT3107335,Age: ca. 1900,Measurements: 33"h x 26"w including shade,Description: Black Pottery Lamp.   « Less