Preliminary identification
Photo reference
2 uploaded photos
Overview
This is a molded earthenware figure of a female equestrian, depicting a court lady riding a horse. It features a combination of cold-painted pigments on the figure and a lead-glazed 'sancai' (three-color) saddle blanket, capturing the cosmopolitan elegance of China's golden age.
Story
During the Tang Dynasty, aristocratic women enjoyed unprecedented freedom, famously playing polo and riding astride through Chang'an. This figure captures that brief, liberating era when court ladies discarded traditional veils to ride openly.
Maker / Origin
While ancient Tang artisans worked in specialized imperial workshops to supply tombs with 'mingqi' (spirit goods), 20th-century workshops in regions like Luoyang revived these exact techniques. These modern masters used local yellow clay and traditional lead glazes to satisfy global demand for Tang aesthetics.
Condition & Value
The figure shows significant simulated or authentic weathering, with loss to the cold-painted pigments on the rider and minor abrasions to the glazed saddle. There are no obvious major structural breaks visible, though these figures are frequently repaired at the horse's legs.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Build on this identification
Layer in sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance.
Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.