唐 三彩陶馬

well-moulded, standing foursquare with head turned slightly to the left, the head well-articulated with ears pricked, eyes bulging and nostrils flared, the arching neck with cream-glazed mane, a bright green-glazed saddlecloth draped over the high ridged saddle and gathered in pleats to either side, all over a cream and amber-glazed saddle blanket, the body covered with a rich mottled amber glaze with green-glazed hooves, wood stand, Japanese wood box

This large and impressive brightly glazed horse is in very good condition with the exception of three circa 1cm., oval areas of misfire to the rump of the horse, a 2cm., wide glaze flake to the top front edge of the saddle, a 5mm., flake to the top back edge of the saddle, loss to the glaze on the tail and very small flakes of glaze around the body.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

本品昂然佇立，所披馬具配飾簡樸無華，尤顯馬身矯健自然。此馬原型為西域大宛名馬，又稱「天馬」、「汗血寶馬」，不僅迅疾敏捷，耐力亦非一般馬種可比。大宛馬自漢朝從中亞傳入中原，上自帝王下至文人百姓，皆奉若珍寶，歷代留下無數相關文史記載及藝術造型。唐代宮廷畫家韓幹傳世名作《照夜白》，筆法簡練生動，描寫唐玄宗坐騎雄姿，其似欲掙脫束縛，躍然而去；此自然寫實的表現，一改前人將誇張想像融入馬匹描繪之作法。

傳世唐朝馬匹塑像，多為表演舞馬，披飾華麗馬具；至於配馬鞍、或馬具簡樸少飾者，可歸類為戶外用馬，甚少見於尺寸大的三彩馬。 可比較一例，造型與本品相類，施淺黃釉，售於紐約蘇富比1971年3月26日，編號134；另一例，施深赭黃釉，售於倫敦佳士得1978年12月11日。再參考一例，尺寸稍小，展於《Seeking Immortality, Early Chinese Ceramics from the Schloss Collection》，Bruce Museum，倫敦，1998年，編號165，售於紐約佳士得2000年9月21日，編號270，出自前述Schloss 收藏。

自古以來，馬匹象徵財富地位；能養馬者，非富則貴，在古代更屬王臣貴冑特權，馬匹與主人身份之關聯可見一斑。2015年2月，國立臺灣大學舉行研討會， 探述唐三彩之用途。有論者認為，三彩陶器用途廣泛，既為日常器皿和典儀禮器，亦為陪葬明器，但主要為上層貴族或富裕階級所用。另可參閱謝明良，《中國古代鉛釉陶的世界：從戰國到唐代》，臺北，2014年，頁85-118。