A FINELY MODELLED PAINTED POTTERY FIGURE OF AN OX NORTHERN WEI DYNASTY |

delicately and dynamically modelled, depicted sturdily standing on a trapezoid base with the right hoofed foreleg raised as though walking while ploughing, the animal portrayed with the head held high, accentuated with well-defined features including a pair of curved tapering horns above a pair of projecting ears, and further rendered bound by a halter composed of straps and roundels, all above a pronounced dewlap echoing the subtle muscular contours of the beast, the grey surface with traces of red and white pigments

The Norman A. Kurland Collection.
Eskenazi Ltd, London, 2017.

Six Dynasties Art from the Norman A. Kurland Collection Part One, Eskenazi Ltd, London, 2017, cat. no. 18.

As typical for pottery figures of this early period, there are several areas of restoration including the head, legs, tail and retouching to the body. The overall sculpture is unusually sharp and well preserved for an animal of this period.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This powerfully and sensitively modelled figure of an ox embodies the qualities for which they were revered in Chinese culture: strength, endurance and patience. Traditionally associated with agriculture, during the Six Dynasties period the ox-drawn cart began to replace the horse-drawn chariot as a form of transport for the elite. Pottery models of oxen attest to this, as do images on the sides of stone sarcophagi, such as that found on a Northern Wei tomb at Zhijiabao, Datong, Shanxi, illustrated in Shi Jinming, 'The Northern Dynasties and Major Archaeological Discoveries', Willow Weilan Hai, Annette L. Juliano et al, Art in a Time of Chaos, Masterworks from Six Dynasties China 3rd – 6th Centuries, New York, 2016, pp. 74-5. A similar example in the Matsuoka Museum of Art, Tokyo, was included in the Inaugural Exhibition, Selected Masterpieces of the Matsuoka Museum of Art, Tokyo, 1975, cat. no. 17.