Rare 10 ANTIQUE CHINESE TANG DYNASTY WAR HORSE BRONZE FIGURINE REPRODUCTION. This listing is for the Chinese reproduction bronze figurine of the Tang Dynasty War Horse, in the classics pose. This position can be found in paintings and sculptures of the War Horse dating back to the Tang Dynasty. This sculpture is a representation of one of the six horses the Chinese Emperor T’ai-tsung of the Tang Dynasty (618-908 AD) rode in his battles as described in Chinese history and literature. The horse in the Chinese culture is symbolic with many things related to success in business and life. The horse symbolizes perseverance, hard work, strength and success through high ambition. The horse in ancient times was usually given as a gift to the Emperor, royalty and high officials. Thoroughbred horse racing is still considered as The Sport of Kings. This hand made figure is constructed of heavy solid bronze that is sand casted, hand worked and chemically oxidised verdigris to bring out the natural green coloured patina, characteristic of oxidized bronze. In my (laypersons) opinion the casting is excellent with a finely detailed finished with hardly a sign on the seam on the back of the horse or through the saddle etc. Also the detail on the mane and tail, hocks and hooves and especially the saddle with tassels is superb. Please see photos for the signature under the bronze base. If you can tell me how this translates I would love to hear from you!! ? The bronze horse is finished with a Chinese hardwood base left in its natural colour underneath and dyed black on upper surfaces. This figurine cum desk adornment would make a great symbolic gesture of “strength and success through high ambition” to sit on your bosses, husband’s or your desk to have or give as a gift as an honour for great grades for students. MEASUREMENTS: Height including base 10″ x length 11″ x width 3 3/4. Weight including base: 3.5kg. CONDITION: Beautiful condition with damage. Commensurate with age. If you need more photos or information please message me.. But it was the “golden age” of the Tang dynasty (618-907) – one of China’s most cosmopolitan periods – that the horse ascended to its iconic status. This was the time when ideas and art flowed into China on the Silk Road along with commercial goods reflecting influences from Persia, India, Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East. At the beginning of the Tang dynasty the government owned some 5,000 horses. Private breeding developed in northern China, especially in eastern Gansu, Shenxi and Shaanxi, when the government decreed that all militiamen, most of whom belonged to great noble families, should have their own mounts. Before long, public stud farms were established, soon becoming so successful that by the middle of the seventh century the government owned 700,000 horses, and equine cultural reverence was assured. The love of horses also spurred the adoption of the Iranian sport of polo among the Tang elite, meaning horses became among the most desirable and important creatures of the day. Poets and painters, sculptors and potters all paid homage to them. Lavish displays of pottery horses and other artefacts began to adorn the insides of tombs where brightly-coloured tomb figurines were made from low-fired earthenware and intended exclusively for burial. “The potters made an incredible range of models, including entertainers, domestic workers, mothers with children, aristocratic ladies, soldiers, farm animals, ritual objects, cosmetic boxes and utilitarian vessels, ” Lark E. Mason wrote in Asian Art (Antique Collectors’ Club, 2003). Alongside the horses, Central Asian and Tu¨rkic nomads were depicted as horse grooms among the other mingqi (tomb figures) in Tang-era tombs. Advances in technology in the Tang dynasty, including the use of moulds, allowed production on an unprecedented scale. This, in turn, made mingqi accessible to those outside the highest social ranks for the very first time, and Tang horses lost their status. While they exerted fascination among some Western collectors (see Degas’ portrayal of the painter Pierre-Joseph Redoute in front of a cabinet holding a Tang horse) it wasn’t until much later that Chinese dealers were alerted to the West’s growing fascination with them. Is a mixture of basic green or blue copper acetates, which settles on copper or brass. It develops as a result to longer influence of weak acids with mostly organic compounds. Food remainders (fruit acid, acetic acid) as well as animal eliminations (urine acid) are included in the above-mentioned category. Unfortunately these two terms are often confounded and that is why it is frequently said that poisonous verdigris might develop itself on copper garden-devices. In reality a protecting patina layer forms on the devices; this layer protects them and guarantees a long life span. It is out of the question that the food remainders mentioned in the definition above, which can be found in the compost and also be regarded as possible source of organic acids, are the ones causing the verdigris in the practical horticulture. Verdigris develops due to longer effect of acids on copper. Neither the concentration of possibly available acids by food composting nor the duration of the contact between the metal and these acids would facilitate the formation of poisonous verdigris. I try to describe all the items as accurately and as honestly as possible, and I always include photos or scans of the actual items. My items are usually vintage or antique, very rarely new, and condition will sometimes reflect this with minor marks, wear on gilding etc. Anything major such as cracks chips or major loss of gilding etc will be pointed out in the description and shown on the photos. If you are still unsure as to the condition etc. I do my best to research the item and its history and pass that information on to my customers, you can google items and find the same information I do. Vintage or pre-owned items will often show some signs of wear due to their age, and there may be something I overlooked. Any condition outside normal vintage wear, like chips or cracks or serious defaults, will be noted. International buyers please note. Also take a look at my other items for more Asian, cloisonné, Glass, Antiques, Silver, Bronze, Copper, China, Horn, and many other collectables. This item is in the category “Antiques\Asian/Oriental Antiques\Chinese\Figurines & Statues”. The seller is “valhbriggs2012″ and is located in this country: GB. This item can be shipped to United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Republic of Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Australia, United States, Bahrain, Canada, Brazil, Japan, New Zealand, China, Israel, Hong Kong, Norway, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Bolivia, Barbados, Brunei Darussalam, Cayman Islands, Ecuador, Egypt, Guernsey, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Iceland, Jersey, Jordan, Cambodia, Liechtenstein, Sri Lanka, Macau, Monaco, Maldives, Martinique, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Paraguay, Reunion, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Chile, Bahamas, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Kuwait, Panama, Philippines, Qatar, Trinidad and Tobago, Vietnam, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts-Nevis, Saint Lucia, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands, Aruba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador.
- Primary Material: Bronze
- Antique: Yes
- Original/Repro: Vintage Reproduction
- Chinese Dynasty: Tang (618-907)
- Product: Figurine
- Theme: Animal
- Features: Signed
- Region of Origin: Chinese
- Country of Origin: China
- Age: 1900-1940
