We acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the Country on which the Art Gallery of NSW stands.

Title

Ceramic horse

206 BCE-220 CE

Artists

Unknown Artist

  • Details

    Place where the work was made
    China
    Period
    Han dynasty 206 BCE - 220 CE → China
    Date
    206 BCE-220 CE
    Media category
    Ceramic
    Materials used
    grey earthenware, unglazed
    Dimensions
    28.6 x 39.3 cm
    Credit
    Gift of Mr Sydney Cooper 1962
    Location
    Not on display
    Accession number
    EC4.1962
    Copyright

    Reproduction requests

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  • About

    This horse is painted red with a vermilion harness (pair with EC3.1962 white with a red harness). The body is simply and formally modelled, the bulging eyes and ears being the only protuberances. The piece is hollow with small holes in the centre of an otherwise flat base, on either side of the mouth and at the tail. The piece originally had wooden legs which have decayed with time. In addition the piece would have had a horse's hair tail attached through the tail hole.

    Jackie Menzies, 'Early Chinese Art', AGNSW, 1983. cat.no. XII (b).

  • Places

    Where the work was made

    China

  • Exhibition history

    Shown in 1 exhibition

    • Early Chinese art, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 26 Feb 1983–08 May 1983

  • Bibliography

    Referenced in 3 publications

    • Edmund Capon AM, OBE and Jan Meek (Editors), Portrait of a Gallery, 'Asian Art', pg. 106-113, Sydney, 1984, 106 (colour illus.).

    • Edmund Capon, The Australian Antique Collector, 'Chinese tomb figures in the Art Gallery of New South Wales', pg. 96-101, Chippendale, Jan 1981-Jun 1981, 100 (illus.). fig.no. 11

    • Jackie Menzies, Early Chinese Art, Sydney, 1983, not paginated. cat.no. XII. See 'Further Information' for text.