A VERY LARGE SANCAI-GLAZED POTTERY FIGURE OF AN EARTH SPIRIT, ZHENMU SHOU, TANG DYNASTY China, 618-907. The well-modeled beast seated on its haunches upon a high base, the deep chest flanked by two large wings projecting from the top of the front legs, the head surmounted by an unglazed flame and a single 'pearl' between a pair of curving horns, above protruding eyes and an open, snarling mouth. Provenance: A Swiss private estate. Galerie Zacke, Vienna, 10 September 2001. Dr. Mons Fischer, acquired from the above, for ATS 170,000 (approx. EUR 16,924 today after inflation). A copy of the Galerie Zacke invoice is accompanying this lot. A seasoned private collector of modern and contemporary art, Dr. Mons Fischer has also acquired fine Chinese works of art since the 1980s, eventually building one of the most important collections of its kind in Austria. Condition: Some repair as generally expected from Tang dynasty excavations. Losses, fissures and encrustations. Two drilled holes from sample-taking. The glaze partially with intentional crackling, and some minor flakes here and there. Overall, very good condition. Scientific Report: A thermoluminescence analysis report issued by Oxford Authentication on 11 February 2020, based on sample number C120a62, sets the firing date of two samples taken at 900 - 1500 years ago. A copy of the report, issued by Oxford Authentication, is accompanying this lot. Weight: 6.6 kg Dimensions: Height 75.5 cm Literature comparison: This grave-quelling beast is one from a pair of tomb guardians - its mate would have been modeled with a human's head. For similar examples of both types, see The Quest for Eternity, Chinese Ceramic Sculptures from the People's Republic of China, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1987: the lion-headed beast excavated from the tomb of Prince Zhenghuai in Qian County, Shaanxi province (706 CE), catalog number 64, page 131, color plate page 38 and the human-headed beast, excavated in 1959 from a tomb in Zhongbao Village, Xian, catalog number 81, page 138 and color plate page XIV. Auction result comparison: Compare with a pair of spirits at Sotheby's New York in Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art on 19th September 2002, lot 41, bought in at an estimate of USD 200,000-250,000. 唐代大型三彩鎮墓獸 中國, 618-907年。此鎮墓獸頭頂有雙彎角，面目猙獰，雙眼圓睜，口大張，露出獠牙。肩部飾有雙翼，雙翼表面飾陰線紋。身體處於蹲立狀，下踏山形底座。通體施綠、白、褐三色釉，釉色鮮亮瑩潤。 來源：瑞士私人收藏；維也納Zacke藝廊，2001年9月10日。Dr. Mons Fischer購於上述藝廊，ATS 170,000 (通貨膨脹後換成今日歐元大約 EUR 16,924)。隨附一份Zacke藝廊發票。Mons Fischer 博士是一位經驗豐富的現代及當代藝術私人收藏家，自 1980 年代以來，他還收藏了衆多精美的中國藝術品，建立了奧地利最重要的一個藝術品收藏。 品相：唐代考古發掘中普遍預期的一些修復，缺損、裂縫和結殼。兩個取樣孔。 釉料部分帶有小開片。總體品相良好。 科學檢測報告：隨附一份2020年2月11日的牛津熱釋光測試報告副本，采樣編號C120a62，通過兩處取樣檢測確認該陶俑為900-1500年前的古物。 重量：6.6 公斤 尺寸：高75.5 厘米 文獻比較：這隻鎮墓獸原來自一對鎮墓獸組，它的同伴是人面鎮墓獸。 有關這兩種類型請參見The Quest for Eternity, Chinese Ceramic Sculptures from the People's Republic of China, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1987：出土于陝西乾縣出土的獅首神獸 (706 CE), number 64, 131頁, 彩圖頁38 以及1959年西安市西郊中堡村的唐墓中出土的人面神獸，見目錄 81, 138 頁，彩圖頁 XIV。 拍賣結果比較：一對鎮墓獸，見紐約蘇富比Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art 2002年9月19日 lot 41，估價USD 200,000-250,000。