Celestial being(Apsara) Stone Statue, Northern Wei-Tang Dynasty

The face with downcast eyes and a smile, the hair swept up behind the pendulous ears into a high topknot. Faint traces of pigmentation hinting at the sculpture's original polychromy....

This figure appears to be a terracotta statuette, possibly representing a court official or a deity given the distinct headgear which could signify a rank or divine attribute. The st...

This figure represent a guardian haitai. The style of the figurine, with its facial features and remnants of paint, suggests it could be a part of funerary art, which was common in C...

Flying two heavenly beings depicted in the stone. They are celestial beings called an Apsara. While having the same fragment and shape, another work I uploaded exhibits small dots on...

This guardian figure represents a fusion of human and beast, a common motif symbolizing protection in Chinese lore. Crafted from pottery, the figure is a testament to the era's sculp...

The small dots apparent on the surface of this stone stele are indicative of an oolitic silica structure or oolites formed in what is known as "Oolitic chert." This formation occurs gradually over the course of thousands to several hundred thousand years within the soil or sea. Similar structures are commonly found in ancient fossils or arrowheads. Ancient peoples chose certain types of stones for tool-making, preferring materials that were easier to work with and could be sharpened effectively. This predilection is believed to be the reason why oolitic silica structures are frequently found in ancient arrowheads. The development of these oolitic silica structures is a very slow process involving the accumulation of siliceous layers around particulates. This phenomenon, where silica reacts with water to form layers around a nucleus, occurs under specific chemical and physical conditions. Typically, it takes thousands to hundreds of thousands of years for silica to gradually accumulate in layers through contact with moisture, a process that requires a precise harmony of many variables, including chemical conditions, temperature, pressure, pH, and biological activity. It is known that no other stele with such a silica structure has been identified to date, serving not only as evidence of its authenticity but also significantly enhancing the rarity of this piece. This stele appears to be a stone sculpture of an apsara, a celestial nymph from Buddhist and Hindu traditions. Despite its fragmentary state, the sculpture conveys grace and movement. The apsara is captured in a dynamic pose, perhaps once part of a larger tableau, playing a flute-like instrument. The black stand was made in Hong Kong at the time of the acquisition. Date : Northern Wei/Eastern Wei Dynasty(386~550) Size : 22cm (Height) x 16cm(diameter) Condition : Good (oolites dots on surface) Provenance : Acquired in late 1990s from Hongkong Reference : 1) Sotheby's New York 20 March 2018 - Jingyatang Treasures Of Chinese Buddhist...

Magnificent Mythological Being "Chimera" with Human Face and Flaming Rays Halo. Orange Terracotta with Traces of Stucco and Painting. This creature is commonly known as Pixiu. Fierc...

An elegant hollow-moulded terracotta horse. This horse is modelled in a standing pose with its neck elegantly arched and its ears pricked forward attentively. The mane is indicated with the use of a scalloped red design with white dotted details. The head is well modelled with notched ears pricked on either side of a feather ornament, with a tasselled rope looped around the top of the neck and tufted ornaments on the chest collar, the back is covered with a long red cloth with white dotted detailing, gathered at the bottom atop the flaring mudguard. The rump is encircled by a series of intricate tassels, attached to a tufted back piece. This terracotta may represent a horse fitted for a parade. Horses were an important status symbol in ancient China. These animals were brought to China via the Silk Road and were considered luxury goods. As such horses were a sign of wealth among the elite, and there were strict laws which restricted the ownership of horses to people of elevated rank. In fact, soldiers serving in China’s military...

An elegant and superbly sculpted pottery statue of standing civil official, Tang dynasty 618-907, come with oxford authentication TL test certificate. Oxford TL Test sample numbers: ...

A pair of very refined standing pottery statue of guardians, dramatic facial expression, beautiful detail, early Tang dynasty 618-907, come with one Oxford authentication TL test cer...

Painted pottery figure of an opulent Chinese court woman with up-swept hair and standing in a simply draped robe from the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). Her beauty is illuminated by the ...

A well modelled pair of Tang dynasty painted pottery soldiers. The warriors portrayed standing, dressed in form fitting, elaborate layered Armor with fitted helmets. The breastplate...