Beijing Niren Zhang Tang Style Cobalt Sancai Glazed Horse & Rider Figurine - 17"

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An extraordinary 20th-century Chinese studio ceramic sculpture executed in the grand Tang Dynasty Sancai (three-color) tradition. Measuring 15.5 inches wide … Read more An extraordinary 20th-century Chinese studio ceramic sculpture executed in the grand Tang Dynasty Sancai (three-color) tradition. Measuring 15.5 inches wide by 6 inches deep and standing 17 inches tall, this expressive equestrian figure features a seated court lady in sweeping ochre amber and jade-green robes, balanced atop a proudly caparisoned horse draped in rich cobalt blue glaze with raised harness medallions. Modernist folk art studio influence shines through the intentionally unglazed biscuit ceramic head of the rider, showcasing fine hand-sculpted facial contours and an elaborate high-bun coiffure.

The underside of the self-molded rectangular plinth bears the distinct impressed seal reading 北京泥人張 (Běijīng Nírén Zhāng / "Beijing Clay Figure Zhang"), anchoring the piece to the famed 19th-century folk art sculpting lineage founded by Zhang Mingshan. Featuring intentional, age-honored glaze crazing and authentic artifact cross-hatching throughout the lead-glazed surfaces, this large-scale 17-inch figure serves as a commanding centerpiece for sophisticated traditional, Asian-eclectic, or high-end modern interior spaces. See less