HORSE WITH RIBBON DECORATION AND HORSEMAN

Description This horse retains its removable rider. The horse has the short-cut mane and the extended, stump muzzle typical of Han horses. The mouth is half-open, the froges are incised and the large round eyes protruding. The exterior is entirely covered with white slip and black paint, on which other pigments are cold-coated. Distinctives of this specimen are the dotted straps and – above all – the undulations of the long ribbons all over the body. The saddle is replaced by a pattern that recalls bands of fabric folded into a ring. The rider has a hollow body and flat legs, shaped to fit the animal's rump. It is of simple workmanship, in a rigid front position with holes where the removable hands were once inserted. The horseman's large head, with the protruding occipital area, is covered by a military cap with a chinstrap that allows a glimpse of the centrally parted comb.