Description: Terracotta with remains of cold paint in red, white and black hues
China, Tang dynasty (618-907)
This powerful and impressively crafted sculpture depicts an animalistic tomb guardian known by the name Zhenmushou. The Chinese name Zhenmushou (鎮 墓 獸) is composed of the characters Shou, which signifies a beast or magical creature, Mu, which signifies the grave and, Zhen, the guardian.
This sculpture portrays the guardian animal sitting with outspread claws on an angularly cut, rocky pedestal. A carnivorous set of teeth, bulging eyes which fixate its opponent and eyebrows that are wavy and with volutes at their ends, all enhance the ferocious appearance of the guardian. His perked ears are pointed as are the tips of his beard and his mane that is rendered in the form of large flanges to the sides of his head.
Rich remains of the original cold paint on top of an entirely white foundation are preserved; presumably the only colors were white, black and a bright red, with the colors intended to have an extremely bright effect, since it was completely dark inside the grave.
Shape: Figural
Dimensions: 50 cm (height), 32 cm (maximum width)
Weight: 15,7 kilograms
Condition: Excellent optical appearance; as customary with Tang Dynasty terracotta excavations, this piece has been reassembled in some areas with slight traces such as hairlines remaining visible
Provenance: From an old Austrian private collection
Scientific testing: The Institute for Preservation Sciences at the University for Applied Arts in Vienna has confirmed the guardian’s age, listed above, using thermoluminescence dating.
Auction result comparison: Christie’s, The Exceptional Sale, New York, 20 April 2018, lot 8. (for a magnificent pair of Zehmmushou, larger in size and entirely cold painted)
唐代彩繪陶瓷鎮墓獸像
紅白黑三色彩繪陶瓷
中國,唐代(618-907)
經熱釋光測年法 (詳見末段解釋)
鎮墓獸,顧名思義,用以驅凶辟邪,以佑護祖先亡魂之安寧,此外,又有添祿的意思,所謂「天之祿籍,長終汝身」,希望來世繼續享受富貴榮華。
這尊鎮墓獸坐在岩石基座上,碩大的雙腳帶有鋒利的爪子,凶煞的大眼搭配銳利的尖牙,驅逐不速之客,守護亡魂之安寧。
白色基底上的冷色保存狀況良好,合理推斷原色為白、黑及亮紅,因為放置於在漆黑的墓內,便使用鮮明色彩加強亮度。
形狀:鎮墓獸形
尺寸:50厘米(高),32厘米(最大寬度)
重量:15.7公斤
品相良好,局部修補,有可見細小裂紋。
奧地利私人老收藏
熱釋光測檢定:維也納工藝美術大學文物修復學院使用熱釋光測年法檢測,推斷其為年代為唐代時期。
相似拍品:另一對較大型且華麗雄偉的鎮墓獸,見佳士得《特殊品拍賣》,紐約,2018年4月20日,編號8。