Horse and Female Rider Sculpture Tang Dynasty Essay

Horse and Rider

The statuary which is called "Female Horse and Rider" depicts an Asian woman atop a brown horse. It is a piece of art that is made from clay. There was little technological advancement such as kilns from the period, so it is likely that this piece was made from a type of clay which can be dried through the natural air. The woman wears a large, oversized brown hat which is nearly the size of her head itself. It has a large brim which would have shielded her pale skin from the dangers of the sun. This woman has extremely pale skin which shows her ethnicity and the fact that this is very likely her normal clothing type. Besides the hat, the woman has on what looks to be a yellow blouse, but may be orange. It is difficult to tell if the color differences are intentional or the result of the ravages of time. Her pants are long and dark. They look to be a dark green color with polka dots in white, but again that might be because of time rather than intent.Barely visible on the woman's feet are two shoes which are mostly covered by the long legs of her pants.

The woman on the horse has decidedly Asian physical features. She has characteristically dark hair which looks to be cut short and does not pass her neck. The right hand is raised. Her eyes are closed and her head is bent so her face is pointed at the horse. The young lady's expression is one of peace and serenity. With her hand movements and her facial expression, it seems that the woman figure is having some conversation with her horse, either telling it to speed up or to rest, or perhaps to calm down from a highly tense encounter on the Silk Road.

The horse that the woman rides atop has individual characteristics as well which allow it to transcend the medium. It is a simple brown horse with black hair. It holds the rider in a black saddle with black straps keeping the saddle on. The horse faces the ground as though it is in some sort….....