A PAIR OF LARGE POTTERY GUARDIAN FIGURES, WUSHIYONG, TANG DYNASTY China, 618-906. Standing with the body slightly turned to the left, one hand stretched forward with palm open and the other with fist clenched to hold a weapon, wearing a pointed cap and armor with ornate design at the chest and two shoulder applications in the form of beast masks. The faces with fierce expressions and neatly incised eyes. (2)

Provenance: A New England private collection. New York trade, acquired from the above.
Condition: Some repair, fills and touchups as generally expected from Tang dynasty excavations. Losses, fissures, cracks, and encrustations. Some firing flaws, such as firing cracks, glaze flakes, and dark spots. Remnants of pigment. Presenting remarkably well overall.

Weight: 7,407 g and 7,890 g
Dimensions: Height 79.8 cm and 79.5 cm

Literature comparison:
Compare two similarly attired guardian figures, with equally stern expressions, excavated from Tang dynasty tombs in Luoyang, Henan province: one from the tomb of Li Yanzhen, buried in 709, illustrated in Kaogu, 1984:10, pl. 6:3; the other from the tomb of Li Siben, also buried in 709, illustrated in Kaogu xuebao, 1989:3, pl. 2:2.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's New York, 14 September 2012, lot 1379
Price: USD 27,500 or approx. EUR 35,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A pair of large painted red pottery guardian figures, wushiyong, Tang dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the closely related pose, armor, and expression. Note the similar size (83.8 cm and 82 cm).



唐代一對大型武士俑
中國，618-906年。俑體態高大，雄壯威武，頭戴頭盔，護領上折，身著明光鎧，肩有龍首披膊，胸前圓護呈桃形，腹護呈半圓形，革帶齊備；國字臉龐，濃眉，二目外凸圓睜，闊鼻，神情剛健。身體微向左轉而立，一手向前伸掌，一手握拳。

來源：新英格蘭私人收藏；紐約古玩交易，購於上述收藏。
品相：一些修復、填充，有缺損、裂縫和結殼。一些燒製缺陷，如裂紋和黑點等。顏色殘留。整體表現非常好。

重量：分別7,407 克與7,890 克
尺寸：分別高79.8 厘米與79.5 厘米

文獻比較：
比較兩件相近的武士俑，有相同的表情，出土於唐代洛陽墓群；其中一件出自於709年下葬的李彥珍墓，見《考古》， 1984年，第10期，編號6:3；另一件出自於709年下葬的李思本墓，見《考古學報》，1989年，第3期，編號2:2。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2012年9月14日，lot 1379
價格：USD 27,500（相當於今日EUR 35,000）
描述：唐代一對紅彩大型武士俑
專家評論：比較非常相近的姿勢、盔甲和表情。請注意相似的尺寸(83.8 厘米和82 厘米)。