A Pair of Painted White Pottery Horses .

This pair of horses is standing foursquare with heads looking forward and mouths open. One horse is painted red with a perfectly brushed mane hanging to one side of the neck. The other is white with a cropped mane. The thick necks and rounded musculature suggest that the pair was made in the ‘High Tang’ period between 650 and 700 AD. The extra fine white clay and the artistic style, in terms of the proportion and decorative elements on the saddle, are in line with funeral offerings found in tombs during Wu Zetien’s period.

This pair is outstanding for its excellent condition and well-preserved pigmentation. The magnificent portraiture conveys the prosperity of the time.