Harvard Art Museums

Standing Saddled Horse with Clipped Mane, Cropped and Tied Tail, and Roman-Style Bridle Ornaments

Date

probably 2nd century

Medium

Lead-glazed ware: Molded, brick red earthenware with lead-fluxed, caramel brown glaze, the detachable, unglazed tail and saddle molded in brick red earthenware, the detachable, unglazed ears molded in gray earthenware, the unglazed elements displaying traces of cold-painted pigments. Probably from the Chengdu region of Sichuan province.

Culture

Chinese

Department

Department of Asian Art

Institution

Harvard Art Museums

Valued for their strength and endurance, horses symbolized wealth and power in ancient China; in a funerary context, they were believed to transport souls to the next world. Made specifically for burial in a tomb, this sculpture is exceptionally important for several reasons: its large size, brilliant glaze, near-perfect condition, and Romanstyle bridle ornaments. The bridle sports five circular medallions, each with a human face. Their number, placement, and decoration accord exactly with Roman convention and thus provide evidence of early Western influence in China. Horses were especially prized by rulers of the Han dynasty for their military value, as cavalry warfare was used to fend off frequent attacks of nomadic invaders. In the second century BCE, campaigns to procure Central Asian horses led to both the expansion of the Han Empire’s borders and to increased contact between China and the nations to its west along the Silk Road.

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