拍賣筆記 vol.403 蘇富比香港2026：192萬港元售出，唐三彩馬球仕女俑，岡田博物館 - Sotheby’s HK 2026, Okada Sale Part 2, A Sancai Figure Of A Female Polo Player, Tang Dynasty

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SACA拍場（2026.09.04）：競爭激烈，150萬keeson落槌，號牌：6655。

唐三彩馬球女俑存世極為稀少，完整且姿態生動者尤為罕見。岡田美術館所藏此件，在當前唐三彩認知體系中尚屬較少被充分討論的作品，然其藝術與歷史價值不容低估。

此俑有三點特出之處：其一，姿態極為特殊，女騎深彎腰側身擊球之動態，在已知傳世例中甚為少見，充分展現盛唐雕塑捕捉瞬間張力的高超技藝；其二，服飾彩繪保存異常完整，胡服細節清晰可辨；其三，三彩釉上加彩尤為精到，馬匹睫毛、馬鞍及韁繩等處的描繪細膩而罕見，顯示製作時的精細用心。綜合出土報告與相關墓葬材料判斷，此類馬球女俑至少應出自章懷太子、懿德太子、永泰公主一級或更高規格的貴族墓葬。

SACA學會此前在《三彩筆記》中曾特別關注2026年3月紐約佳士得「重要中國藝術」專場中，出自Max N. Berry珍藏的一件唐三彩加彩馬球仕女俑（高約34.6公分）。該件估價為8萬至12萬美元，最終以17.78萬美元（約138萬港元）成交，遠超估價區間。其來源清晰（藍理捷1996年經手），姿態動感、加彩豐富，與台北故宮藏品及岡田此例同屬頂級私人與機構收藏序列。市場對Berry例的積極反應，正說明此類稀有題材一旦出現，即能迅速獲得藏家與機構的高度認可，也進一步印證岡田美術館藏品在學術與市場層面的潛在重要性。

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SACA觀察（2026.09.03）

審視唐三彩釉上彩工藝，其淵源實可追溯至隋代陶馬的施彩手法。此類作品往往極盡精細，其藝術價值絕不應單以體量大小而論——真正的藏家，需率先從「以大為尊」的思維慣性中解脫出來。以打馬球女俑為例，此類姿態本已罕見，而如本件這般身段扭動幅度極大、極具張力的瞬間定格，更是寥若晨星。

關於彩繪，唐代器物（尤其是素胎加彩）多具備不俗的彩繪工藝，固然無需過度解讀。這件作品的彩繪與其說是錦上添花，不如說其核心優勢仍立足於超群的雕塑性。然而，其彩繪能歷經千年而鮮豔完整，學術意義早已超越了單純的視覺美感或稀缺性，它構成了極為重要的物證：這不僅直接指向了其極高的原始留存狀態，更暗示了它與紐約Max Berry舊藏那件高價名品極可能互為對偶，或同出一源。這種級別的遺存，其規制基本可徑直對標永泰公主等皇家等級。

談及存世量，唐代人騎馬俑的絕對基數的確不小。但評估藝術品，首論質量，次談數量，二者絕不可割裂。存世量中，更需釐清「可流通量」與「絕對總量」的本質鴻溝。猶如秦始皇陵兵馬俑，總量龐大，但市場流通量為零，加之藝術造詣登峰造極，故而無價。

由物及人，藝術收藏的終極奧義，終歸是建立自洽的收藏邏輯，求的是買得愉悅、安心且具前瞻性。市場中歷來有兩種買家：跟風者與引領者（Trend Setter）。前者的快感極度依賴外界肯定，購藏前後多需親友簇擁、大造聲勢，其滿足感鮮少源自藝術本身，而多仰賴「氛圍組」所催生的多巴胺。他們的收藏軌跡，往往深陷於「大眾認可度」與「未來變現率」的雙重焦慮中。反觀引領者，則以長線佈局見長。他們擅於在藝術本源價值與市場現有認知的落差中尋找支點，致力於挖掘並重塑器物背後的歷史敘事。這類藏家無需外界的喧囂，是以往往在收藏之路上走得更為深遠。

重新審視這件打馬球女俑，其核心邏輯並非孤立地停留在彩繪、姿態或存量等單一維度，而是一場深度的綜合判斷。在各懷心思的市場喧囂中，隨波逐流極易擾亂核心認知，而頂級唐俑在未來歲月中賦予藏家的歷史厚重感與審美愉悅，卻是無可替代的。剝離浮躁的市場表象，從近期高古器物預展數據的熱度，到主流審美對宏大歷史敘事的傾斜，不難察覺：單一的明清敘事已難以滿足當下深層次的文化訴求，而高古藝術正在迅速凝聚新的集體共識。唐三彩，這一曾在20世紀初叱吒風雲的高價名品，在經歷了90年代明清板塊狂熱期的短暫被低估後，如今正挾勢歸來，其強勁的市場回馬槍絕對不容小覷。

唐　三彩馬球仕女俑

A sancai figure of a female polo player, Tang dynasty

岡田博物館第二部分

拍賣時間：2026年9月4日

Estimate

150,000 - 300,000 HKD

Description

wood stand and Japanese wood box

l. 34.5 cm; h. 30.4 cm

Provenance

Kochukyo Co., Ltd, Tokyo.

Catalogue Note

來源

壺中居，東京

Condition / 品相狀況

The figure is in overall good condition, with expected light surface wear and minor firing imperfections consistent with age and type. The cold-painted pigments, particularly the vibrant colours on the lady's shawl, as well as the dark painted details of the horse's reins, remain remarkably well preserved. Examination under UV light reveals scattered areas of fluorescence corresponding to a mineralised residue or substance (exhibiting minute bubbles) across the surface. This substance appears to have acted as a protective layer over time, exceptionally preserving the underlying original pigments and painted details.

整體品相良好，具與年代及材質相符之正常表面磨損及輕微微窰燒瑕疵。表面的彩繪保存極為完好，尤其是仕女披帛上鮮豔的色彩，以及馬匹韁繩的深色描繪細節。經紫外光燈照射下，可見表面帶有微小氣泡的礦物化殘留物或物質呈現螢光反應。此物質似乎隨時間推移起到了保護層的作用，將底部的原有彩繪及細節極為難得地保存下來。

Tang sancai figures of female polo players are extremely rare, and complete examples with vivid, dynamic poses are especially uncommon. The piece in the Okada Museum of Art remains relatively under-discussed within the current scholarly framework of Tang sancai, yet its artistic and historical significance should not be underestimated.

This figure stands out in three notable respects. First, its posture is highly distinctive: the deep forward lean of the female rider as she strikes the ball is rarely seen among surviving examples, vividly demonstrating the Tang sculptors’ mastery in capturing instantaneous tension and movement. Second, the painted decoration on the costume is exceptionally well preserved, with the details of the hufu (barbarian-style) attire remaining clearly legible. Third, the overglaze polychrome painting applied to the sancai is particularly refined—most notably the delicate rendering of the horse’s eyelashes, the saddle, and the reins—revealing a high degree of care and precision in production. Judging from excavation reports and related tomb materials, figures of this type were almost certainly produced for aristocratic burials of the rank of Prince Zhanghuai, Prince Yide, or Princess Yongtai, or of even higher status.

SACA previously highlighted, in its Sancai Notes, a closely related Tang painted and sancai-glazed pottery figure of a female polo player from the Max N. Berry Collection, offered at Christie’s New York in the Important Chinese Art sale of March 2026 (height approx. 34.6 cm). Estimated at USD 80,000–120,000, it sold for USD 177,800 (approximately HKD 1.38 million), significantly exceeding the estimate. With clear provenance (handled by J.J. Lally in 1996), a dynamic pose, and rich polychrome detailing, it belongs to the same top tier of private and institutional holdings as the Taipei Palace Museum example and the Okada Museum piece. The strong market response to the Berry figure underscores how quickly such rare subjects gain recognition from collectors and institutions once they appear, further affirming the scholarly and market potential of the Okada Museum example.

[SACA Observation 2026.09.03] The Tang Sancai Polo Player and the Revaluation of Early Chinese Art

Examining the overglaze polychrome techniques of Tang Sancai, one finds its roots in the painted pottery horses of the Sui dynasty. Works of this caliber are meticulously refined, and their artistic value should never be judged merely by their physical scale. True connoisseurs must break free from the conventional mindset that equates size with importance. Taking this female polo player figure as an example, the posture itself is already exceedingly rare. A piece capturing such a dramatic, dynamic twist of the body with such intense sculptural tension is exceptionally scarce.

While many Tang dynasty ceramics (particularly those featuring cold-painted pigments on biscuit) boast impressive coloring, there is no need to overstate this aspect alone. The vibrant polychrome on this piece is less of an added embellishment and more of a complement to its core strength: its peerless sculptural quality. However, the fact that its pigments remain so remarkably vivid and intact after a millennium holds an academic significance that goes far beyond visual appeal. It serves as crucial physical evidence pointing directly to its pristine original state. Furthermore, it strongly suggests a paired relationship or shared origin with the highly valued example formerly in the Max Berry collection in New York. A legacy of this magnitude and specification aligns perfectly with the highest imperial origins, comparable to the standards seen in the retinue of Princess Yongtai.

When discussing extant quantities, the absolute number of Tang equestrian figures is indeed substantial. However, evaluating art demands prioritizing quality over sheer volume; the two cannot be examined in isolation. It is essential to distinguish the fundamental gap between "circulating supply" and "absolute total." Consider the Terracotta Army of Qin Shi Huang: the total quantity is massive, yet the market circulation is zero. Coupled with their pinnacle of artistic achievement, they are inherently priceless.

Transitioning from the object to the collector, the ultimate essence of art collecting lies in establishing a self-consistent logic—acquiring pieces that bring joy, peace of mind, and a forward-looking vision. Historically, the market consists of two types of buyers: trend followers and trendsetters. The former derive pleasure heavily from external validation. Their acquisitions are often accompanied by fanfare and the applause of their peers; their satisfaction rarely stems from the art itself, but rather from the dopamine fueled by their echo chamber. Their collecting journey is frequently mired in the dual anxieties of "public consensus" and "future liquidity."

In contrast, trendsetters excel in long-term strategic vision. They are adept at finding leverage in the disparity between an artwork's intrinsic value and its current market perception, dedicating themselves to uncovering and reshaping the historical narrative behind the object. Such collectors require no external noise, which is why their journey in the art world ultimately goes much further.

Reevaluating this polo player requires moving beyond isolated metrics such as pigment preservation, posture, or extant quantity; it demands a profound, comprehensive assessment. Amidst the clamor of a market filled with ulterior motives, blindly following the crowd easily clouds one's core judgment. Yet, the historical weight and aesthetic delight that top-tier Tang figures will bestow upon their custodians in the years to come are truly irreplaceable.

Stripping away the superficial noise of the market, recent exhibition data indicating a surge in interest for high antiquity, coupled with a shift in mainstream aesthetics toward grand historical narratives, reveals a clear trend: a singular focus on the Ming and Qing dynasties is no longer sufficient to meet today's deeper cultural demands. Early Chinese art is rapidly forming a new collective consensus. Tang Sancai—once the dominant, high-priced masterpieces of the early 20th century—experienced a brief period of undervaluation during the Ming and Qing craze of the 1990s. Today, it is making a formidable return, and this powerful market resurgence should not be underestimated.