Striding Horse

Typical of the Northern Qi style, this finely rendered horse is comprised of mold-made elements and hand sculpting. The torso of the animal including the head and neck were mold-made in two sections and luted together. The legs, tail, and head crest were made separately and luted together while the clay still had elasticity. The saddle blanket and bell trappings were also molded separately and applied to the torso. Finally, areas like the head, tail, and harness decorations were finely sculpted by hand and allowed to dry. The entire horse was given a white slip coat upon which the black and red colors were painted. The use of molds expedited the production process by lessening the amount of handwork required.