Sancai-Glazed Horse
唐三彩马
A nearly life-size ceramic horse glazed in the signature amber, green, and cream of Tang sancai ware. Its powerful stance and flared nostrils capture the Ferghana chargers that Tang emperors imported at ruinous expense along the Silk Road.
Object Facts
- Period
- Tang dynasty (618–907)
- Date
- late 7th – first half of the 8th century
- Medium
- Earthenware with three-colour (sancai) glaze and pigment
- Dimensions
- H. 73.7 cm; W. 81.3 cm; D. 30.5 cm
- Held by
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
New York, USA - Accession
- 1991.253.12
Gift of Stanley Herzman, in memory of Adele Herzman, 1991
Why it matters
Sancai horses were buried with aristocrats as spiritual mounts for the afterlife. This example is among the largest and finest outside China — a direct echo of the Tang obsession with horse culture immortalised in Han Gan's paintings.
How it travelled
Uncovered in early-20th-century Luoyang or Xi'an tomb excavations during the rail-building boom, exported through Shanghai, and gifted to the Met by the Herzman family in 1991.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I see Sancai-Glazed Horse?+
Sancai-Glazed Horse is held by the The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, USA. Accession number 1991.253.12. Online catalogue record: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/42189.
When was Sancai-Glazed Horse created?+
Sancai-Glazed Horse dates to late 7th – first half of the 8th century, during the Tang dynasty (618–907).
What is Sancai-Glazed Horse made of?+
Sancai-Glazed Horse is a tomb figure executed in earthenware with three-colour (sancai) glaze and pigment, measuring H. 73.7 cm; W. 81.3 cm; D. 30.5 cm.
How did Sancai-Glazed Horse end up at the The Met?+
Uncovered in early-20th-century Luoyang or Xi'an tomb excavations during the rail-building boom, exported through Shanghai, and gifted to the Met by the Herzman family in 1991.
Can I reuse the photograph of Sancai-Glazed Horse?+
Yes. The The Met has released the image under Creative Commons Zero (CC0), so it is free for any use, commercial or non-commercial, with no attribution required (though attribution is appreciated).
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