#1141

Date: Tang Dynasty (618-906 CE)
Medium: Glazed pottery
Subject: Warrior figures
Size: 19”-20 ½”H
TL Tested

A very rare pair of white glazed dignitary-warrior figures with well defined, expressive faces

Each figure is standing, arms clasped at the waist, wearing helmets and ornate armor.
We have never seen or heard of figures of this type, found in a creamy white glaze.
Actually, they are rare in any glaze.

#1436

Date: Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE)
Medium: Glazed Pottery
Subject: Figure
Size: 22 1/8” H
TL tested

A rare sculpture of the Taoist Queen Mother of the West, Xiwang Mu

Xiwang Mu is the highest ranking of all female Taoist deities.  She is in charge of guarding the Taoist peach of immortality.  Her hands are positioned in what appears to be a double vitarka mudra.  This mudra, with the index finger and the thumb touching, is the sign of the Wheel of Law and means intellectual discussion.

#339

Date: Tang Dynasty (c. 618-907 CE)
Medium: Glazed pottery
Size: c. 13” H

A rare Chinese sancai (3 color) seated glazed court lady

This seated figure  holds a goose, with a funnel in its beak.

#40 & #784

Date: Tang Dynasty (c. 618-906 CE)
Medium: Painted pottery
Subject: Horse and Groom
Size: horse (#40) approximately 17” H and 19” L, groom (#784) 15 ¾” H
TL tested

A rare model of a “grazing horse” with a painted foreign groom

This delightful sculpture is among the most unusual of all the Tang Dynasty horse poses.  Both figures are in excellent condition.

#590

Date:  Tang Dynasty (c. 720 CE)
Medium:  Glazed Pottery
Subject:  Lokapala
Size:  16 ½” H

A finely glazed Sancai (3-color) Lokapala

The facial features are of exceptional quality with very extensive original pigments remaining. This smaller size is actually more unusual in a glazed lokapala that are considerably larger.

#616

Date: Tang Dynasty (618-906 CE)
Medium: Glazed Pottery
Subject: Figure
Size: 16”
TL tested

A pair of blue sancai glazed lokapalas

The rich blue glaze, which was reserved for nobility and the small size of this pair of lokapalas produce a charming effect.  It is quite atypical for glazed, and particularly blue glazed, lokapala to be found in this size. 

Seen in our Guardian Catalogue page 9

#622

Date: Tang Dynasty (618-906 CE)
Medium: Painted pottery
Subject: Lokapala
Size: 36 ¾" tall
TL tested

An unusual foreign lokapala in spear holder stance

This dramatic lokapala is in the spear holder stance and is atop of an ox illustrating his power.  There is extensive original pigmentation including an unusual amount of gold gilt.  The unique characteristics of this lokapala include the bearded face of a foreigner, a phoenix headdress and dragon head shoulder plates.  The artistic detailing and incredible modeling of this piece add to its uniqueness.  

#66

Date: Tang Dynasty (618-906 CE)
Medium: Glazed pottery
Subject: Musician equestrians
Size: 14”H

A selection of unusual Chinese green glazed (three shades) musician equestrians

The musicians, with smiling faces and painted head dresses, were likely meant for a parade rather than a martial situation.

#695

Date: Tang Dynasty 618-906 CE
Medium: Painted Pottery
Subject: Lokapala
Size: 42”H and 43”H
TL tested

An outstanding and rare pair of painted pottery Lokapalas

One Lokapala is atop an ox and a demon, the other a stag and a demon.  The use of both demons and animals in the same base is extremely rare.  Extensive pigmentation and a few gold traces are evident.  The addition of the more unusual, desirable features, such as open mouths, facial wrinkles and fine detailing, place this pair in the upper echelon of Lokapala sculpture. 

#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.

#333

Date: Tang Dynasty (c. 7^th century CE)
Medium: Painted pottery
Subject: Lokapala
Sizes: c. 27” H & 26” H
TL tested

A superb pair of expressive Chinese lokapalas on demons

These extraordinary figures have exceptional original pigment and gold leaf, with rare removable headdress accessories.  These fine sculptures are unusually large for the Fongxian area of Shaanxi. 

#380

Date: Tang Dynasty (c. 700 CE)
Medium: Painted pottery
Subject: Fat Lady
Size: c. 17 ½” H
TL tested

An extremely rare pose of Chinese court “Fat Lady”

This pleasingly rotund court lady appears to be fixing her hair, while looking into a mirror held in her left hand.  The nicely painted figure is accented by a beautiful high-relief ribbon that gently flows down the side of her gown.

#411

Date: Jin/Song Dynasty (c. 1150 CE)
Medium: Painted and gilded stucco
Subject: Lohan
Sizes: range from c. 19 ½”-28 ¼”tall

A rare and finely sculpted, complete set of 16 Chinese Lohans

            A Lohan is a personal disciple of Buddha who has followed the Eightfold Path, has conquered all passions, and who is no longer subject to re-birth or karma.  An earthly existence and ignorance are no longer part of his life, he has attained Nirvana.

            Lohans are said to possess great wisdom, courage and supernatural powers. Each Lohan is appointed to a different position in different parts of the world.  Due to their ability to ward off evil spirits, images of Lohans are arranged along the side walls of the main or second hall of Buddhist’s monasteries and act as guardians.  Each one posed in a fixed attitude with his distinctive symbol or badge. 

            Originally there were only 16 Lohans, two more were added during the Tang Dynasty.  According to legend, in 891, the first portraits of the 18 Lohans were painted by a Buddhist monk named Guan Xiu.  The traditional order of the Lohan is based on the order in which they appeared to Guan Xiu in a dream.

            Later Chinese artists would often base their portrayals of the Lohans on the paintings of Guan Xiu.  However, variations in attributes and dispositions of the Lohan’s imagery occurred due to innumerous legends that provided inspiration for the artists, and the individual artist’s method of expression. 

            This set of 16 Lohan has many fine qualities including high-relief calligraphic inscriptions and individual distinctive facial expressions and poses.  It is extremely unusual to find a complete set from such an early time period.  These Lohan are in particularly fine condition (minor loss of pigment and minor repairs to the lower robe areas).

#851

Date: Tang Dynasty (618-906 CE)
Medium: Painted pottery
Subject: Court Lady
Size: 21”H
TL tested

A very unusual painted Tang Court Lady with an elegant draped robe,  also a very interesting and charming turn of the head

#920

Date: Tang Dynasty (618-906 CE)
Medium: Painted Pottery
Subject: Fat Lady
Size: 17 ¾”H

A charming painted pottery sculpture of a “Fat Lady”

This court lady is nicely posed with one arm raised in front of her displaying a hand with delicately modeled fingers.  Her flowing robes subtly expose her left shoe.

#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.

#1704

Date:  Han Dynasty (c. 206 BCE-220 CE)
Medium:  Pottery
Subject:  Acrobat
Size:  17” H
TL Tested

A painted pottery Sichuan acrobat standing on hands

#1781

Date:  Northern Wei (c. 386-535 CE)
Medium:  Pottery
Subject:  Female FigureSize:  22 ¾” H

#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.