Chinese Ceramic Saddled Horse

Spots on the neck, an orange saddle, and the air of a horse on parade.

This saddled horse comes from China and dates to the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 CE) or later. It is terra cotta. Horses were prized in Tang China, and pottery figures of them were placed in tombs in large numbers as signs of status. This one stands squarely on a flat base, with a long arched neck and a combed mane. Dark spots of paint dot the neck and hindquarters over a red and cream ground, and an orange saddle sits high on its back. The tail flicks out behind. It is 13.5 inches high and 12.25 wide.

Ready for a procession that may never end.