Massive horse

The wide popularity of horses in Han dynasty art reflects their great impact on China’s history and mythology. The horse, admired for its strength and nobility, was also associated with martial prowess and supernatural qualities. Massive glazed-earthenware horses from the Han dynasty are rare, and this may be the largest known example. Of impressive proportions, the horse stands solidly foursquare. The upright mane is clipped short along the neck that curves up to a small, well-defined head with hollow pricked-up ears, bulging eyes, flared nostrils, and an open mouth revealing teeth and tongue. The bridle, set with circular bosses and a raised, knotted tail that originally may have been adorned with hair, makes this horse similar in style to Eastern Han examples excavated in Sichuan province. Carefully restored, the head is essentially intact except for reattached ears and the front tip of the mane. The front legs, at some point repaired and reattached, now splay slightly outward, creating an awkward stance. Most Han examples have a more vertical stance or lean forward as if ready to break into a gallop. Wood armatures inside the legs lend structural support to this marvel of early ceramic technology. Large-scale horses in the Sichuan region are often found in tomb chambers without any military association, usually accompanied by a host of other burial figures, generally produced on a smaller scale. A horse of this prominent size probably reflected prestige, conferred status, and perhaps was intended as a mount for the afterlife journey.