Dance interpretation of Tang Dynasty black-glazed horse figurine

The black-glazed horse figurine is a treasured artifact of the Luoyang Museum in central China’s Henan Province. Excavated from the tomb of An Pu and his wife at Longmen in Luoyang, this sculpture features a distinctive black glaze achieved through a unique firing technique.

During the Tang Dynasty, black glaze was not produced through direct firing. Instead, artisans applied multiple layers of glaze, gradually deepening the color until an accidental depth of black was achieved. This meticulous process made black-glazed pieces extremely rare.

In 2019, the directors of “Xianwuren Studio” brought the black-glazed horse to life on stage in their dance production “Tricolors Alongside the Yellow River”, infusing this ancient relic with new vitality and artistic expression through dance.