Chinese Tang Cuju Football Player Pair
Tang Dynasty, 618-907 A.D. A pair of ceramic male figures modelled standing in dynamic poses, likely playing a game of cuju, each wearing a floor-length robe and balancing a ball on one foot; one figure leaning forwards with his arms held behind his back, looking down towards the ball balanced on the end of his raised right foot; one figure moving his arms in opposite directions in an attempt to regain his balance, head leaning left, his right leg bent across his body at the knee, balancing a ball on the heel of his foot; each with semi-naturalistic facial features and hair tied in a top knot; extensive remains of polychrome pigmentation. See Prodan, M., The Art of the Tang Potter, London, 1960, for similarly styled figures and discussion; see the Fifa Museum online for discussion and historical depictions of the game in various media. 6.85 kg total, 38.5-42.5 cm high (15 1/8 - 16 3/4 in.). Ex Hong Kong collection.London Mayfair gallery, UK.Accompanied by thermoluminescence analysis report nos. C122k26 and C122k25 from Oxford Authentication. Cuju is the earliest recorded game of football which involved kicking a ball through a net without the use of the hands. [2] A video of this lot is available to view on Timeline Auctions Website.]