Western Han Mingqi Horse Figure

This Chinese ceramic horse is a type of centuries-old burial figurine known as míngqì. Depicting the pleasures of daily life, míngqì figurines were offerings to one's spirit to ensure comfort and special treatment in the afterlife. Míngqì often take the shape of servants, dancers, musicians, concubines, and livestock. This regal horse míngqì dates to the Western Han dynasty (206 BC - AD 820), an era when the tall western horse was newly introduced into China and thus considered a prestigious status symbol and a popular subject for works of art. Despite the loss of limb, the stoic mount stands dutifully at attention, its head held high above a powerfully arched neck. Beautifully aged from centuries of undisturbed preservation, this painted horse regains its robust posture set on a custom mount as a fantastic sculpture.