painting. 1368-1644. Ink and color on paper. Museum Exchange for Charles Bayly, Jr. Collection. 1954.50A.

image height: 11.625 in, 29.5275 cm; image width: 17.75 in, 45.0850 cm; overall height: 16 in, 40.6400 cm; overall width: 21.875 in, 55.5625 cm

Colophon has been removed; stored separately. Translation is in object folder.

Arts of Asia

Arts of Asia

Heavenly Horse and Groom
Possibly Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
China
Ink and color on paper
Exchange for Charles Bayly Jr. Collection
1954.50A

Horses have long been a popular subject in Chinese paintings. Here, the large animal is accompanied by a groom who can be identified as a foreigner by his appearance, specifically his dense, curly beard and hair and his unusual apparel. His conical hat and equestrian-friendly pointed boots would have seemed exotic to Chinese viewers. Although possibly painted by an artist during the Ming dynasty, this painting imitates the earlier style of Zhao Mengfu (1254–1322), a Yuan dynasty master known for his allegorical paintings of horses and other animals. This painting and an accompanying colophon (not pictured) have been removed from their original context as a handscroll.