Tartar horsemen

Object Details

• Artist

  Zhao Lin (died ca. 1367)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Gong Ben’ang (mid-19th-early 20th century)

  Wu Zhiying (1868-1934)

  Lian Quan (1868-1931)

  C.T. Loo & Company (1914-1948)

• Provenance

  Gong Ben’ang (mid-19th-early 20th century), China [1]

  Wu Zhiying (1868-1934) and Lian Quan (1868-1931), by bequest from Gong Ben’ang [2]

  From at least 1939 to 1940

  C. T. Loo & Company, New York, from at least January 31, 1939 [3]

  From 1940

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from C. T. Loo & Company on February 21, 1940 [4]

  Notes:

  [1] Four Gong Ben’ang’s collector seals are located on the painting. See also A. G. Wenley, “A Parallel Between Far Eastern and Persian Painting,” in Richard Ettinghausen, ed., Aus der Welt der Islamischen Kunst: Festschrift für Ernst Kühnel zum 75. Geburtstag am 26.10.1957 (Berlin: Verlag Gebr. Mann, 1959), p. 352.

  [2] See inscription at the right side of the painting, translated as: “Foreign Horsemen, by Zhao Lin. Authenticated and collected at the Entertainment Yards (or Center for the Arts?) in the national capital [Beijing], respectfully presented by Xiaowanliutang.” The inscription is accompanied by the Xiaowanliutang signature and seal. Xiaowanliutang was the studio name of Lian Quan and Wu Zhiying. Two Lian Quan’s and Wu Zhiying’s collector seals are located on the painting. On Gong Ben’ang’s bequest to Lian Quan, see Wenley 1959, p. 352.

  [3] The painting figures on “List of objects owned by C. T. Loo [and brought to] the Gallery for examination,” annotated with information that it was left at the Freer Gallery by Frank Caro on January 31, 1939, copy in object file. See also C. T. Loo’s stockcard no. 81580: “Scroll painting A. D. 1273-1368,” C. T. Loo & Frank Caro Archive, Musée Guimet, Paris, copy in object file.

  [4] See C. T. Loo’s invoice, dated February 21, 1940, copy in object file.

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1300s

• Name

  Lian, Quan, Gong, Ben’ang, Wu, Zhiying, Zhao, Lin, C.T. Loo & Company

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Art, Baimiao style, Animals, Horsemen and horsewomen, Chinese Art, Horses, Yuan dynasty (1279 - 1368)

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Paintings