Chinese terracotta figure of a female polo player.... Lot 41

Chinese terracotta figure of a female polo player. Ancient China, Tang dynasty, ca. AD 618-906. Terracotta. In good condition. Provenance: Acquired from F. Gallery, Spain, Madrid, 2022. Thermoluminescence test attached (TL). Measurements: 29 x 34 cm. Round sculpture made in terracotta and decorated with engobes. It represents a polo player on horseback, galloping, with the captured animal in the middle of the jump. The human figure is dressed in loose-fitting red clothes with long sleeves. Her hair is carefully combed, her hands are raised, and her cheeks and lips are highlighted. The player shows the movement and tension of the moment and turns her torso to face the viewer. In the Tang dynasty, polo was a sport played mainly by the aristocracy and especially by women, despite its roughness.