A LARGE GRAY POTTERY STRIDING HORSE, EARLY TANG DYNASTYExpert’s note: The horse, with its tall stature and heavily creased muzzle, aligns well with other known examples from the period. The additional presence of manganese deposits on the surface is a very attractive sight for any collector of early pottery.China, circa 7-8th century. A strongly modeled striding horse, standing with head turned and ears pricked, the mane hogged and tail docked, the body with incised and painted details.Provenance: P.Y. Tong, Hong Kong, 2003. A noted Greek private collection, acquired from the above, and thence by descent.Condition: Some old repair and touch as generally expected from Tang dynasty excavations. Extensive wear, losses, fissures, encrustations, firing flaws, signs of weathering and erosion. Remnants of pigment. Fine, naturally grown, dark patina. Overall, good condition,mensurate with age and displaying very well.Weight: 4,940 gDimensions: Height 43.3 cm, Length 41 cmHorses were admired for their speed and intelligence during the Tang dynasty. Not only were they important in the realms of travel and war, but they also played a significant role in the leisurely activities of the nobility. The Tang nobility was legendary for their love of horses, so much so that the court passed a law in 667 AD that allowed only members of the elite to ride. Noble families might own literally thousands of horses, with different breeds for use in the cavalry, hunting and polo. Pottery horses of this size appear most often without trappings, most likely so that they could be outfitted with materials that have long since perished.Literatureparison:Compare with a related painted gray pottery horse illustrated in R. Jacobsen, Celestial Horses & Long Sleeve Dancers: The David W. Dewey Collection of Ancient Chinese Tomb Sculpture, Chicago, 2013, pp. 220-221 (one of the pair), where the author notes that this particular breed of foreign horse was favored by the Xuanzhong Emperor (r. 667-731) in equine dancing performances on the occasion of his birthday.Auction resultparison:Type: Closely relatedAuction: Christie’s, New York, 29 March 2005, lot 249.Price: USD 72,000 or approx.EUR 99,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A rare large painted grey pottery figure of a horseExpert remark: Despite the much larger size (81.2 cm), we are clearly looking at the same breed of horse, with identical modeling to the parted forelock, the muzzle, the muscles above the elbow, and the tail.Auction resultparison:Type: Closely RelatedAuction: Sotheby's, New York, 29 March 2022, lot 670.Price: USD 23,940 or approx.EUR 22,000 converted at the time of writingDescription: A pair of painted pottery figures of horses, Tang dynastyExpert remark: While also of larger size, this pair of horses is important as they exhibit