Ca. 202 BC-220 AD. Chinese Han Dynasty. Terracotta Horse with Rider. An elegant hollow-moulded terracotta horse. This bay horse is modelled in a standing pose with its neck elegantly arched and its ears pricked forward attentively, and the tail shown docked. The horse’s trappings, including the bridle and breastplate, saddle blanket, and breeching are painted on in crème and trimmed in red. The rider is shown dressed in period-typical garb with the tunic painted red with black and cream accents, red trousers and creamed coloured boots. The rider’s pose, with arms extended to hold the reins, back straight in a professional riding posture and the concentration reflected by his delicately arching eyebrows, piercing eyes, pursed lips and thin moustache demonstrate military professionalism. Horses were an important status symbol in ancient China. These animals were brought to China via the Silk Road and were considered a luxury good. As such horses were a sign of wealth among the elite, and there were strict laws which restricted the ownership of horses to people of elevated rank. In fact, soldiers serving in China’s military had to provide their own mounts indicating that only the richest members of society could serve in the cavalry. This exceptionally well-preserved terracotta is part of a long tradition of horse statuettes in China, and in fact, the earliest known example of a stirrup, today a mainstay of equestrianism, was found on another Chinese statue of a horse from Hunan province, dated to AD 302 (see Cartier, M. 1993.‘Considérations sur l'histoire du harnachement et de l'équitation en Chine.’ Anthropozoologica, 18, 29-44).This item comes fully authenticated with a TL test from Ralf Kotalla laboratory, Germany. Excellent condition. Size: L:495mm / W:420mm ; 6.7kg. Provenance: From an old British collection, acquired on the UK art market in the 1990s.