Consort Yang Mounting a Horse 楊妃上馬圖

Object Details

• Artist

  Traditionally attributed to Qian Xuan 錢選 (late 13th century)

• Label

  Qian Xuan was foremost among the group of artists who in the early years of the Yuan dynasty revived ancient styles and fused them with their own innovations to create a new and viable artistic vocabulary. In subject matter, this painting is an obvious reference to the past. The Tang dynasty emperor Minghuang (reigned 713-756), seated astride a horse, is watching his favorite concubine, Yang Guifei being helped onto her saddle by maid-servants and attendants. Qian Xuan's use of precise outline and flat color, as well as his arrangement of the figures against a blank background, reflect his awareness of the achievements of Tang dynasty artists. But a new sense of detached restraint which pervades the painting is typical of Qian Xuan's work and characteristic of Yuan dynasty archaism in general.

  There is another version of this scroll in the Shanghai Museum.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Old Tales Retold: Narrative in Chinese Painting (April 20 to October 20, 2013)

  Women in Chinese Painting (November 9, 2013 to April 27, 2014)

  Tales of the Brush: Literary Masterpieces in Chinese Painting (July 28, 2007 to January 13, 2008)

  In Human Form: Images of the Secular and Divine in Chinese Painting (January 31, 1996 to January 7, 1997)

  Masterpieces of Chinese Painting (I) (August 3, 1984 to February 7, 1985)

  Chinese Figure Painting (September 17, 1973 to January 3, 1975)

  Chinese Art (January 1, 1963 to March 6, 1981)

  Chinese Paintings (June 5, 1957 to January 1, 1963)

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1400s, 1300s

• Name

  Qian, Xuan

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Fans, Art, Animals, Chinese Art, Horses, Yuan dynasty (1279 - 1368), Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644), Bow, Kings and rulers

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Paintings