Nette Megens
Head of Department, Director
Lot 81
A rare Arita model of a recumbent horse, circa 1750-70
1 December 2025, 13:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street£1,500 - £1,800
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A rare Arita model of a recumbent horse, circa 1750-70
After a Dutch original, reclined on a shaped base, painted with piebald spots in underglaze-blue, with a floral decorated saddlecloth, the base with stylised scrollwork border, 17.2cm long, 13cm high
Footnotes
Provenance
With Robert McPherson Antiques, 2008
Literature
White, Mary, Beasts at the Whites' House, Vol.1, 2020, p.79
Another horse of this model and decorated in underglaze-blue enhanced with red and black overglaze enamel is in the collection of the Groninger Museum, published by C.J.A. Jörg, Fine and Curious, Japanese Export Porcelain in Dutch Collections, 2003, p.286, no.362, where the author notes that the dating of this model is based on the supposed date of the Dutch Delft original. It is illustrated accompanying the original (no.262a), in the collection of the Groninger Museum. The same model was also reproduced by J. Ayers, O. Impey and J. V. G. Mallet, Porcelain for Palaces, 1990, p.188, no.176.
The horse in the Groninger Museum seems to have an opening in the rosette on the back of the tail of the horse which this example does not show, and the feature of a rosette is something one occasionally sees on Dutch Delft horses with bridles.
For another example of this rare model sold in these rooms see Asian Art, Knightsbridge, 6-7 November 2017, lot 818.