Japanese Akahada Ware Ceramic Horse

Japanese Akahada Ware｜White-Glazed Saddled Horse Ceramic Figure・Ancient-Pottery-Style Horse Ornament・Original Wooden Tomobako

This piece has very much the air of Japanese ancient pottery and tea-room display. Unlike realistic, elaborate horse sculptures, it renders a standing horse fitted with a saddle in a slightly rustic ceramic idiom, covered throughout in a mellow milky white to off-white glaze, with the clay body and a pale brown tone showing naturally in places; the lines are simple and composed. The base bears the two characters "赤膚" (Akahada) together with a circular kiln seal, so the piece can be clearly identified as Akahada ware. Akahada ware is one of Nara's representative traditional ceramics, and this work takes up the horse—a classic subject in Japanese art. The head inclines slightly forward, the ears stand erect, and the mane is expressed with simple incised lines; on the body one can see the saddle, breast strap and decorative circular patterns. It does not strive for highly detailed muscular realism, but precisely for that reason one feels all the more the simplification, rustic quality and quiet stillness particular to Japanese ceramic sculpture.