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 For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks 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
