Tuesday 27 August 2019

#704 "Eternal Tang"






"Eternal Tang"
23"H 28"W 9"D 
Edition 35
7,800

The Tang Dynasty (618 – 907) was the most glorious historical period in China’s 
history.   It flourished culturally, reached unparalleled prosperity, and 
is regarded as the “golden age” in China’s civilization.
The horse was second in importance to the dragon in Chinese history and was the 
foundation of military power.  During the Tang Dynasty, elegant statues of horses 
with powerful arched necks and increased degree of naturalism 
were enjoyed by the upper classes.
In 1981, I visited China and witnessed the unearthing of over 7000 life-sized 
Terracotta sculptures of warriors and horses in the Tang capital of Xi’an. 
Discovered in 1974 and buried since the Han Dynasty over 2000 years ago, 
I was stunned by the spectacle as I peered down from the scaffolding 
high above the pits.  After that life-altering experience, I shifted gears 
from a career in original printmaking and returned to an early interest 
in sculpture. Chinese art and oriental sparseness of design continues to
 influence my work and I’m returning to Xi’an and China in Nov. of this year.

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish


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