CHINESE MING DYNASTY TERRACOTTA GLAZED ROOSTER

Ca. 1368-1644 AD or later
A beautifully crafted, multi-coloured glazed terracotta ceramic rooster. The tail feathers of the rooster are carefully detailed and coloured in an alternating pattern of green and yellow. The primary feathers of the wings are likewise yellow and green coloured, whilst the more delicate neck, chest and wing feathers are picked out in black. The legs and leg feathers are green, whilst the rooster’s comb, beak, eyes and nostrils are highlighted with red and black pigments. The rooster is the tenth of the twelve animals in a zodiac cycle and represents fidelity, protection from evil spirits and punctuality for its role in announcing the dawn.
Size: L:120mm / W:125mm ; 245g
Provenance: UK private collection of Asian Art; formerly acquired in the early 1990s in Hong Kong.
Estimate: GBP 75 - 150