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Lot 215A
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Han Dynasty Pottery Horse - Naturalistic Fergana Steed Mingqi
Han Dynasty Pottery Horse - Naturalistic Fergana Steed Mingqi
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East Asia, China, Han Dynasty, ca. 206 BCE – 220 CE. A ceramic horse modeled with quiet naturalism, its musculature and crisply delineated hooves conveying both repose and latent power. The sculptor has caught the alert carriage of the head and the taut line of the neck, the marks of a creature bred for speed and prestige. Such horses were mingqi, spirit objects fashioned expressly for burial, placed in the tombs of the elite to serve and ennoble the deceased in the world beyond. The form pays homage to the famed "blood-sweating" chargers of the Fergana Valley, prized cavalry mounts whose acquisition shaped Han military ambition. To own such a steed in life signaled rank; to be buried beside its likeness extended that status into eternity. Size: 4.1" L x 10.4" W x 12" H (10.4 cm x 26.4 cm x 30.5 cm); on included custom stand: 12.3" H (31.2 cm H).

The Han fascination with the horses of Fergana (in modern Uzbekistan and the surrounding region of Central Asia) is among the better-documented chapters of early Chinese history. Emperor Wu sent costly expeditions westward to secure these "heavenly horses," believed to sweat blood (a phenomenon now attributed to a parasitic infection that ruptured small blood vessels beneath the skin). The animals were larger and faster than native Chinese ponies, transforming cavalry tactics against the Xiongnu. Tomb horses like this one translate that imperial preoccupation into clay, ensuring the deceased rode in befitting splendor through the afterlife.

Please note that this piece is local pick up only.

Provenance: private Colorado, USA collection; ex-private Owen collection, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA; ex-H. Gene Blocker collection, acquired before 2000

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Item # 203368

  • Condition: Good. Professional repair and restoration to neck and body; all very well done and difficult to distinguish. Feet and tail have been professionally reattached with some minor chipping and adhesive along visible break lines, as shown. Age-expected nicks and abrasions, but otherwise good remaining pigments and rich earthen deposits throughout. This piece is local pick up only due to fragile nature of repairs.

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by Artemis Fine Arts
June 25, 2026 9:00 AM MDT
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000