Turkmen Akhal-Teke horses in the painting art of ancient China
In ancient China, no animal played such a huge role as a horse. The horses determined the course of economic and social development, influenced even the outcome of military operations, contributed to the formation of cultures of whole dynasties, became an integral part of people's daily life.
The ancient Chinese even believed that the "heavenly" horses were, in fact, disguised dragons. By the way, the dragon symbolizes the good beginning of yang in Chinese culture.
Therefore, naturally, the horse served as a favorite image of various forms of art, including traditional Chinese painting.
Ancient Chinese artists first drew horses on rocks or decorated the walls of tombs with equine images, made with simple linear outlines. However, in the era of the Tang dynasty (618-907 AD), with the increasing popularity of equestrian painting, the technique was also improved.
In many ways, this trend was due to the fact that during the heyday of the Tang Dynasty, China significantly improved the quality of the horse population due to both progress in local breeding and through the import of Arab and Central Asian horses.
Akhal-Teke, imported from Turkmenistan, became the passion of aristocrats and the imperial court, including the emperor himself. They were admired for their refined appearance, their slender body and muscular legs. Special artists were hired to create portraits of imperial horses.
One of these painters was Han Gan (circa 706-783 AD), who was considered the great artist of his time. The horse of the Emperor Xuanzong (695-762 AD), depicted in the picture named “Night-Shining White” not only later became a standard for the painting of horse portraits, but also gained the glory of the pearl of traditional Chinese painting.
According to the treatises, Han often visited the imperial stables and spent a lot of time there. The artist preferred observing of the live horses considering them to be best teachers rather than studying the earlier rock paintings.
Unlike Western painters, ancient Chinese artists rarely resorted to studying the anatomy of animals or the human body. They relied solely on a careful visual study of external appearance.
Therefore, animals in traditional Chinese painting, as a rule, are not so anatomically accurate.
Nevertheless, Han’s “Night-Shining White” differs from the works of his contemporaries by the perfect transfer of anatomical details that literally "revitalize” the depicted stallion - these are pricked ears, wild rolling eye, flaring nostril, the open mouth and the thick, bristle mane bring a fiery stallion to life, curved lines to outline the horse’s rump, muscular chest and its kicking hooves.
The picture itself contains about two dozen seals and inscriptions of previous collectors, testifying to the originality of the portrait and the accuracy of the dating to the Tang Dynasty period.
Currently, the picture "Night-Shining White", which is called the treasure of China's national cultural heritage, is kept in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Based on materials of Shine portal.
