Lokapola; China, Tang dynasty, AD 618-907. Terracotta. Attached... Lot 3

Lokapola; China, Tang dynasty, AD 618-907. Terracotta. Attached thermoluminescence issued by Oxford. It has restorations recreated from original fragments. Measurements: 91 x 29 x 21 cm. The lokapala, translated 'guardian of the place', are gods who govern the cardinal points in Hinduism and Vasraian Buddhism or Jingangcheng in China. As guardians, they can call the spirits of the other world to their aid, and are therefore often placed in pairs at the entrance to tombs. In the Hindu tradition, they are also often depicted in temples. The Tang dynasty is considered by historians to be a time of splendour in Chinese civilisation, equal or even superior to the Han period. Emerging from a period of despotism under the cruel Yang Di, it was established by Li Shimin who, out of filial piety, put his father on the throne before assuming the role of emperor himself and founding the Tang dynasty. Stimulated by contact with India and the Middle East via the Silk Road, the Tang empire experienced a creative boom in many fields. Buddhism, which had emerged in India at the time of Confucius, continued to flourish during this period and was adopted by the imperial family, becoming an essential part of traditional Chinese culture. The development of the printing press also extended the dissemination of written works, giving rise to the golden age of Chinese art and literature. The great cultural opening will result in a fundamentally colourful, expressive and very eclectic art, although it is still mainly for funerary use, where the artist remains an anonymous craftsman. However, from this time onwards, high-fired ceramics, decorated with enamels, would come to be used as a status symbol, with typologies such as vessels for the table of the litterateur and all types of tableware. Terracotta, on the other hand, continued to be used for grave goods, although stoneware would also be used from now on, especially for the tombs of nobles and scholars. In funerary pieces, the group to which this piece belongs, an important new feature is introduced: tricolour lead glazes (sancai), although pieces decorated with engobes continue to be made. Among the grave goods there are six typological groups, each with a great variety: tomb guardians, with warriors and protective beasts; ceremonial figures with their servants; animals of all kinds, such as oxen, camels and horses; musicians and court ladies; utensils and vessels; and finally, architectural models. Three periods can also be distinguished. The first period, between 581 and 683, was dominated by figures decorated with engobes, but not yet glazed, and the second period, between 683 and 779, was the great Sancai period, with a predominance of enamels. Finally, until the beginning of the 10th century, pieces with Sancai enamels continued to be made, albeit of lower quality than those of the previous period.