Lot 71A
East Asia, China, Song Dynasty, ca. 960 to 1279 CE. A creamy yellow sandstone panel depicting two registers: the upper one a scene of animals, possibly relating to the zodiac, and the lower a two gusty clouds sweeping across a sky. The animals are a goat, a dragon/horse chimeara, and a deer, separated from one another by a column. The goat and deer are depicted prancing, facing inward towards the dragon, whose body is carved with scales and a detailed mane and tail. A thick border runs across the top and bottom of the piece, and the two registers are separated by an incised line. Comes with custom stand. Size: 33" W x 11.2" H (83.8 cm x 28.4 cm); height on stand: 11" (28 cm)
From the mid-6th century CE onward, Chinese temples shifted from being made of wood to brick, which better survived rotting, fires, and various other disasters. During the Song Dynasty, numerous brick and stone pagodas were built, like the famous Iron Pagoda in Kaifeng. Originally built of wood, it was struck by lightning and burned down before being rebuilt in 1049 under the order of Emperor Renzong. Brick and stone panels like this one were mass produced to serve as the walls. Stone panels, which could not be mass produced using molds the way bricks were, required significantly more labor and were therefore much more valuable.
Provenance: private York, England collection acquired before 2000
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#125116
- Condition: Edges have small losses. Surface has appropriate wear for age, but carved details are in excellent condition and very clear. Pigment may have been scraped from the surface.
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