唐 陶胡人馬夫俑|Foreign horse groom

Art Historical Context

This charming earthenware figure, titled *Foreign Horse Groom* (唐 陶胡人馬夫俑), hails from China's Tang dynasty (618–), specifically the 7th–8th century—a golden era of cultural flourishing and international exchange along the Silk Road. Standing 10½ inches (26.7 cm) tall, this tomb pottery depicts a non-Han "Hu" man, likely a Central Asian tending imperial horses. Such mingqi figures were crafted to serve the deceased in the afterlife, reflecting Tang beliefs in continuity between worlds. The Tang court's cosmopolitan spirit shines through in this piece, as Hu figures became popular in art, symbo...