拍賣筆記 vol.350 佳士得紐約2026：藍理捷，64.65萬港元售出，唐三彩騎馬狩獵俑，馬克思·貝里收藏 - Christie’s NY 2026, A Painted Brown And Sancai-Glazed Pottery Figure Of An Equestrian Hunter, J.J.Lally, Max N. Berry, Sold for US$82,550

此件為極為罕見且保存精美的唐代三彩騎馬狩獵俑，尺寸達39.4 cm，造型生動、釉色豐富（棕釉與三彩斑紋），原彩保存完整難得，這類應該是太子墓以上級別的器物。馬匹優雅有力，騎士姿態寫實，充分展現唐代貴族狩獵文化與雕塑高峰。類似出土例多為素面或殘損，本件品相優異且有明確著錄與展覽歷史，來自著名美國藏家 Max N. Berry 收藏，並有1988年Christie's舊拍、藍理捷的傳承，加持市場信任度。

唐代三彩人物俑中，騎馬狩獵題材極稀少，遠少於常見的文官、武士或駱駝俑，因此在國際頂級中國古陶瓷市場上備受藏家追捧，估價已達80,000-120,000美元，最終高價成交正是其藝術性、稀有性、歷史價值與優異來源共同作用的結果。

博古精鑑：Max N. Berry珍藏

唐 三彩騎馬狩獵俑

TANG DYNASTY (AD 618-907)

成交價

美元 82,550

估價

美元 80,000 – 美元 120,000

拍品終止拍賣: 

2026年3月27日

唐 三彩騎馬狩獵俑

15 ½ in. (39.4 cm.) high

來源

紐約佳士得，1988年12月1日，拍品編號237

士紳珍藏；紐約佳士得，2015年3月16日，拍品編號3228

藍理捷，紐約

在唐代宮廷中，馬球為男女皆可參與的運動，尤其受到唐太宗與唐玄宗的鼓勵；而另一項同樣在馬背上進行的宮廷活動則是狩獵。這項極受歡迎的活動為唐代貴族男女所共同從事。

李賢（公元653–684年）墓壁畫中即描繪了一場帝王狩獵的場面。該墓由其兄章懷太子李賢在弟兄去世後的672年所營建，後因武后之命被迫自盡。705年武后去世，中宗即位，706年李賢得以以全禮重新安葬於乾陵（位於首都西安西北）。正是在這座墓中出現了這幅狩獵壁畫（見《Imperial China – The Art of the Horse in Chinese History》，Lexington, Kentucky, 2000, pp. 162-3, figs. 152-4）。畫面中駿馬全速奔馳，部分獵手持旌旗，另一些則在馬鞍後方置有獵豹，還有不少人佩帶箭囊與弓箭，與目前這件三彩釉狩獵俑所持者極為相似。騎乘強壯駿馬、在奔馳中彎弓射獵的形象，也出現在唐代銀器上，例如1963年西安沙坡村窖藏出土的銀高足杯（見李健編《The Glory of the Silk Road – Art from Ancient China》，Dayton, Ohio, 2003, p. 196, no. 105）。

與目前這件俑尺寸相近的兩件大理石紋三彩釉騎馬狩獵俑，出土於李賢之兄懿德太子李重潤（卒於公元701年）的墓中，該墓同樣位於乾陵。其中一件已刊於《The Glory of the Silk Road – Art from Ancient China》，p. 173, no. 88，文中並註明類似的騎馬狩獵俑亦見於其妹永泰公主墓。另一件懿德太子墓出土的騎馬狩獵俑則刊於《World of the Heavenly Khan – Treasures of the T’ang Dynasty》，Taipei, 2002, p. 128，該俑呈現拉弓射鳥的姿態，鳥正飛翔於其上方。1972年在陝西乾縣另出土一件尺寸相近的三彩釉大理石紋騎馬狩獵俑（見中國歷史博物館《A Journey into China’s Antiquity》卷三，北京，1997年，p. 112, no. 111），其腰間同樣懸掛箭囊，與本件狩獵俑一致。

懿德太子墓及乾縣出土的狩獵俑所騎乘的馬匹皆為深棗紅色、體型較為厚重的素面馬；而本件馬匹則強健而優雅，四肢塑造精良，頭部昂揚，神態驕傲。其深栗色馬身飾以奶油色與綠色斑紋，呈現一種精緻的斑馬紋效果。該組俑原可能配有韁繩（以有機質材料製成，歷經八世紀至今已不存），因騎者雙手前伸，作輕握韁繩之狀。

Collector/Connoisseur: The Max N. Berry Collections

A SUPERB AND VERY RARE PAINTED BROWN AND SANCAI-GLAZED POTTERY FIGURE OF AN EQUESTRIAN HUNTER

TANG DYNASTY (AD 618-907)

Price realised

USD 82,550

Estimate

USD 80,000 – USD 120,000

Estimates do not reflect the final hammer price and do not include buyer's premium, and applicable taxes or artist's resale right. Please see Section D of the Conditions of Sale for full details.

Closed: 

27 Mar 2026

A SUPERB AND VERY RARE PAINTED BROWN AND SANCAI-GLAZED POTTERY FIGURE OF AN EQUESTRIAN HUNTER

TANG DYNASTY (AD 618-907)

15 ½ in. (39.4 cm.) high

PROVENANCE

Christie's New York, 1 December 1988, lot 237.

The Property of a Gentleman, Christie's New York, 16 March 2015, lot 3228.

J. J. Lally & Co., New York.

While polo was played by both men and women at the Tang dynasty court and was especially encouraged by the Tang Emperors Taizong and Xuanzong, the other courtly activity enjoyed on horseback was hunting. This very popular activity was pursued by both male and female members of the Tang aristocracy. An imperial hunting party is depicted in a mural on the wall of the tomb of Li Xian (AD 653-84), which was created by Crown Prince Zhanghuai after his brother’s death in 672, but was forced to commit suicide on the orders of Empress Wu. In 706, following the death of Empress Wu in 705 and the ascent to the throne of Emperor Zhongzong, Li Xian was reinterred at the Qianling Mausoleum northwest of the capital Xi’an with full honours. It is in this tomb that the hunting mural appears (illustrated in Imperial China – The Art of the Horse in Chinese History, Lexington, Kentucky, 2000, pp. 162-3, figs. 152-4), showing horses at full gallop and some huntsmen carrying banners, while others have cheetahs perched on the backs of their saddles, and a number carry quivers and bows similar to those carried by the current sancai-glazed huntsman. Huntsmen riding powerful horses and shooting their prey with bows and arrows while at the gallop also appear on Tang dynasty silver vessels, such as the goblet excavated in 1963 from a cellar in Shapocun, Xi’an (illustrated by Li Jian (ed.), The Glory of the Silk Road – Art from Ancient China, Dayton, Ohio, 2003, p. 196, no. 105).

Two marbled earthenware sancai-glazed models of mounted huntsmen, of approximately the same size as the current figure, have been excavated from the tomb of Li Xian’s brother, Prince Yide (d. AD 701), whose tomb is also at the Qianling Mausoleum. One of these Yide mounted figures is illustrated in The Glory of the Silk Road – Art from Ancient China, op. cit., p. 173, no. 88, where it is noted that similarly mounted huntsmen were found in the tomb of the prince’s sister, Princess Yongtai. The other mounted huntsman from Prince Yide’s tomb is illustrated in World of the Heavenly Khan – Treasures of the T’ang Dynasty, Taipei, 2002, p. 128. This figure is shown in a pose suggesting that he is using a bow and arrow to shoot a bird that flies above him. A further marbled earthenware, sancai-glazed figure of a mounted huntsman, of similar size to the current figure, was excavated in 1972 in Qianxian, Shaanxi province (illustrated by the National Museum of Chinese History in A Journey into China’s Antiquity, vol. III, Beijing, 1997, p. 112, no. 111). Like the current huntsman, the Qianxian huntsman has a quiver hanging from his belt.

While the horses ridden by the huntsmen from Lide’s tomb and the Qianxian find are plain dark bay and rather heavy, the current horse is powerful but elegant with well-modeled legs and a proud head. Its dark chestnut coat is splashed with cream and green, suggesting an elaborate version of piebald. It is possible that the group originally had reins, made of an organic material that has not survived from the 8th century, as the rider holds his hands before him as if lightly holding reins.

Rosemary Scott

Independent Scholar