Tang Polychrome Sculpture of a Foreign Groom

Horses were among the most revered creatures in ancient China. The speed and strength of these majestic creatures was vital to the protection and expansion of the Chinese empire. While the local Mongol Pony was native to the region, larger and faster breeds were imported from Central Asia, eventually leading to the establishment of the Silk Road. This sculpture of a groom represents one of the foreigners who imported or cared for such horses. Dressed in an elegantly painted orange tunic, this groom features an expressive and emotive face with a pointed black beard that reveals his foreign origins. While this groom might have accompanied a prized steed on the long and arduous journey from Central Asia to its new owner inside China, it is just as likely that this expert groom lived and resided in China, tending to the needs of a royal stable of stallions. During the T’ang Dynasty, it was not uncommon for foreigners to reside in the larger cosmopolitan centers of the empire. Clearly, this groom is no meager peasant, but a refined and respected foreigner who was memorialized in this sculpture. He holds one of his arms aloft, as if pulling the reigns to lead a horse. We can easily picture him lovingly combing a horse and brushing its mane. This groom is no mere worker, but a talented and respected artist who brought out the full beauty of these revered creatures.