Far East, Chinese, Tang Dynasty, ca. 618 to 907 CE. An exceedingly rare pair of Tang Dynasty court lady equestrian figures with considerable polychrome remaining in unusually fine condition. These female figures are sometimes affectionately known as "Fat Ladies” after Emperor Xuanzong's beloved and well-fleshed favorite courtesan who actually set a fashion in the court. The juicy details of this story are as follows. Emperor Xuanzong became obsessed with the wife of one of his sons. Then, in the year 740 CE, he ordered a eunuch to seize the woman and placed her in a Taoist temple where he ordained her as a priestess. Her name was Yang Gufei, and she was a talented dancer, a gifted musician, and famously plump. Most importantly, she was the emperor's favorite concubine! The female equestrians of this lot were modeled after Yang Gufei, with their rather ample forms, long, loose fitting robes with high necklines that became quite the fashion, and elaborate coiffures. This pair of Fat Ladies is quite rare, as the ladies are both mounted on horseback. Most Fat Ladies are merely individual standing figures. Quite an exceptional pair from the Tang Dynasty, generally thought of as the Golden Age of Chinese history, a remarkable era when poetry, painting, dance, music, and the decorative arts flourished. Size: 11.5" H (29.2 cm)
Provenance: Acquired by the present owner at the Drouot auction house in Paris in the 1970’s. Previously in an old French collection; ex-Ancient Art International, FL.
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