This week Paul Greenhalgh and Stephanie Rozene explore the remarkable ceramics of the Tang Dynasty, one of China's greatest periods of artistic innovation. We venture down into the depths of their magnificent tombs and discover the wonders of their funerary wares. Ceramics creations that capture life in the Imperial Court from dancers, polo players, concubines, warriors and magnificent horses. These treasures open a window into a golden period of Chinese history but also show how the Tang potters transformed the art of clay and influenced ceramic traditions around the world.
FEATURED ARTWORKS IN THIS EPISODE:
Emperor Li Yuan, 618-626, unknown, Public Domain
Excerpt from the handscroll Viewing the Pass List, c. 1540 by Qiu Ying
Tang Court Playing Polo, 706AD, Public Domain
Cosmetics Box, 8th Century, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Figure of a Horse, 700-750, The British Museum, Public Domain
Amphora, Late 7th Century, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Covered Jar, 8thcentury, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Set of Ten Entertainers and Two Dancers, 618-907, Miho Museum, Public Domain
Camel and Rider, 701-750, Art Institute of Chicago, Public Domain
Horse and Rider, early 8th Century, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Camel with Musicians, 723, National Museum of China, Public Domain
Horse with Lead Glaze, 728, The British Museum, Public Domain
Seated Court Lady, 8th Century, the Met Collection, Public Domain
Female Attendant, Mid 7th Century, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Female Attendant, 7th-8th Century, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Seated girl holding Mirror, first half 8th Century, Art Institute Chicago, Public Domain
Polo Player, ca. 618-907, Public Domain
Young Female Polo Player, early 8th Century, Musée Guimet
Female Polo Player, c. 750, Musée Guimet
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Credits:
Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene
Editor: Jim Fuller & Sam Bond
Sound Engineer: Joe Little Executive
Producer: Emma Cahusac
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction: Tang Dynasty - A Golden Age of Chinese Ceramics
00:00:35 Context: From Terracotta Warriors to Tang Dynasty
00:01:33 The Tang Renaissance: Arts, Innovation, and the Birth of Porcelain
00:07:27 Emperor Li Yuan and the Reunification of China
00:09:40 Cosmopolitan Influences: Turkish Origins and Foreign Ideas
00:10:27 The Qianling Mausoleum: Royal Graves and Funerary Traditions
00:16:37 Craft and Technique: How the Figurines Were Made
00:18:58 Sancai Glaze: The Three-Colour Ceramic Revolution
00:22:10 Masterworks: The Covered Jar and Ewer
00:24:00 Ten Musicians and Two Dancers: Capturing Movement in Clay
00:25:44 Colour Theory and Cultural Openness in Tang Art
00:26:47 The Silk Road and Sea Trade: Expanding Horizons
00:28:02 Camels and Foreigners: Depicting a Cosmopolitan World
00:29:07 What Makes a Tang Dynasty Piece? Poise, Pride, and Individuality
00:30:36 The Camel with Five Musicians: A Traveling Band
00:33:10 Heavenly Horses: The Prized Steeds of the Tang Dynasty
00:37:17 Court Life and Leisure: Snapshots of Tang Society
00:39:43 Women Playing Polo: Sport, Warfare Training, and Social Inclusion
00:40:55 Equality and Sophistication: Women in Tang Society
00:42:11 Conclusion: Windows into the Tang World
