A GILT-BRONZE 'FOUR LOBED' PLAQUE, TANG DYNASTY China, Tang dynasty (618-907). The ornamental four-lobed plaque is finely incised in each lobe with an argali sheep. Condition: Good, original condition, remarkable considering the age of this plaque! Some wear, incrustations, and a small breakage to the tip of one lob. Provenance: Michel Pasiello, Venice, 1999. Dr. Koos de Jong, acquired from the above. Dr. de Jong is a Dutch art historian and has been privately collecting Chinese art over decades. He has authored hundreds of articles and several books on Dutch fine and decorative arts spanning from the Middle Ages to the modern era. In 2013, he published an extensive study of Chinese riding gear in "Dragon & Horse, Saddle Rugs and Other Horse Tack from China and Beyond". Between 1976 and 2009 he worked for numerous museums across the Netherlands and was the director of the European Ceramic Work Center in Den Bosch. Weight: 15.17 g Dimensions: 6.3 x 5.7 x 0.1 cm