#1650

Date:  Tang Dynasty (c. 618-9096 CE)
Medium:  Painted Pottery
Subject:  Friendly Demon
Size:  40 ¾” H

This ancient sculpture is one of two known in the world.

The conjuncture, at the moment, is that the two figures represent monkey demons that have been turned to the righteous path of Buddhism.

#1494

Date: Tang Dynasty (618-906 CE)
Medium: Glazed Pottery
Subject: Earth Spirit
Size: 12 ½” and 13 ½”H
TL tested

A pair of blue sancai glazed earth spirits

The humanoid faced figure has a beard, a tall twisted horn and exaggerated ears.  The beast faced figure has two horns and a splash of glaze on the face.  Both of the figures have powerful haunches and flame like horns extending from their arms and shoulders.

#1650

Date:  Tang Dynasty (c. 618-9096 CE)
Medium:  Painted Pottery
Subject:  Friendly Demon (Pair)
Size:  40 ¾” H & 40 ½”
TL tested

This ancient sculpture ?

The conjuncture, at the moment, is that the two figures represent monkey demons that have been turned to the righteous path of Buddhism.

#1806

Date: Tang Dynasty (c. 618-906 CE)
Medium: Painted Pottery
Subject: Earth Spirits
Size: (Human faced) 24” H, 10.5” W
(Leonine head with serpent) 25” H, 14.5” W
TL tested

An exceptional pair of Chinese "Earth Spirits" guardian figures with an unusual combination of charm and power

 The sculptures also retain very fine and extensive original pigment, which is, of course, rare when unfired.  A pose displaying extended arms and turned heads, and no rockery or beast base, make this pair one of the more unusual and artistically successful of all early Chinese earth spirit forms.  While similar poses are most often found in Gansu Province, the combination of this clay type and the manufacturing techniques possibly makes these sculptures attributable to the Xian area of China.  Xian was formerly known as Chang'an, capital of the Tang Dynasty, and was located in what is now Shaanxi Province.

Earth Spirits seem to have derived from a number of sources;

 Egypt, India and South East Asia are some of the more dominant.  One attribute of the spirit, however, is fairly consistent, although not universal.  Most all were given a ferocious countenance, in order to act as a deterrent to evil.  The Earth Spirit as tomb guardian appeared around the 3rd century CE, although only one, rather than a pair, was used initially.  It also appears that they vanished entirely by the latter part of the Tang.  This highly prized pair would have been created between 680 and 750, the golden period of the Golden Age of China.