A Large Painted Pottery Equestrian Figure

Western Han Dynasty, China, 206 BCE–220 CEA very large and expressive painted terracotta depiction of a horse and rider. This very large horse and rider are of vivid expression, with traces of original polychrome decoration remaining across the saddle, garments, harness, and tunic. Created as mingqi funerary objects, sculptures of this type were placed within tombs to accompany and serve the deceased in the afterlife. The horse reflects the Han court’s admiration for powerful Central Asian steeds, valued for their importance in military expansion and imperial prestige. The expressive modeling and surviving bright pigments preserve the artistic refinement characteristic of early imperial Chinese funerary art.