Tang tricolor pottery

Tang tricolor pottery,referring to the tri-colored glazed pottery of the Tang Dynasty,is the general designation of the colorful pottery with multi-glaze color which flourished in the Tang Dynasty. Glazes are normally green,blue,yellow, white, ochre,brown,etc. it is called “Tang tricolor pottery” because the basic pigments are yellow,green and ochre.

There are various types of “Tang tricolor pottery,which be classified as types of human figurines,animals and objects. Human figurines include images of ministers,generals,ladies,boy servants,maidsartisans and Hu peoople.etc. Animals include models of horses,camels,cattle,sheep,lions and tigers,etc. Objects include containers,stationery and tools for daily use.

In ancient days, Tang tricolor pottery was rarely used for display or as tools,but mostly by the aristocrats as funerary objects. It was produced in the Central Plain of China and wide used by the local officials.

When making a Tang tricolor pottery,deliberate care is taken in presenting diffeent shades of yellow,ochre,green,blue and dark purple to produce a gorgeously colofuly effect. In the process of firing,glazes would drip down in the surface of a piece of Tang tricolor pottery and get mingled so as to cause a myriad of changes. Due to the delicacy in making ,no two pieces are identical.

The artistic modeling of Tang tricolor pottery well reflects the life of the society at that time. Robust and elegant warriors, Heavenly King,strong and rampant horses,and camels all indicate the prosperity of the early Tang Dynasty. Female figurines of the Tang Dynasty all look plump, showing that plumpness was regarded as a kind of beauty at that time

Tang tricolor pottery is of such great variety in terms of shapes,postures and colors that it is regarded as uniquely Chinese.