The Night-shining White

Ever wondered how horses were painted during the Tang Dynasty?

Court painters like Chen Hong and Han Gan transformed horse art from the heroic to the refined, reflecting the imperial stables' opulence. Han Gan's Night-shining White, a favorite of Emperor Xuanzong, exemplifies this shift. Though criticized for its “flesh without bones,” it captures the horse's spirit with its dynamic posture and expressive gaze. The iron pillar anchoring the composition contrasts with the horse's longing, creating a poignant portrayal of freedom and restraint. Dive into how art mirrored the changing roles and symbolism of these majestic steeds.

Tang Dynasty (618-907) Han Gan (so said) Colored, paper scroll. 30.8cm*33.5cm. Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

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.