The Polo Match

Tomb murals continue to reveal fascinating insights into the evolution of Tang Dynasty painting. As we discussed, the tombs of Crown Prince Yide and Princess Yongtai likely featured the work of court artists with a more free, expressive style.

Interestingly, the landscape paintings in their burial sites eschew the layered mountain compositions seen in Prince Yide's murals. Meanwhile, the side walls of Prince Zhanghuai's tomb depict lively hunting and polo scenes, rendered with freely flowing brushwork akin to cursive calligraphy - a stark contrast to the meticulous, wire-like strokes in Prince Yide's murals.

Tang Dynasty (618-907) Mural painting in tomb of Prince Zhanghuai, Qianxian county, Shanxi Province.

This piece is compiled from the Chinese edition of Three Thousand Years of Chinese Painting by Foreign Languages Press and Yale University Press, translated by Chen Ying.