Xu Beihong Cheng Matu Axis

[Xu Beihong’s Horse Painting Axis]

The Horse Painting Axis, modern and contemporary, painted by Xu Beihong, paper based, colored, 89.2 centimeters vertically and 81.8 centimeters horizontally
Self question: “In April of the twenty eighth year, the sorrowful Hongke traveled to Xingzhou.” With the seal of “King Sun of the East China Sea” in white text, the rectangular seal. There is also an inscription by Han Huaizhun, stamped with Zhu Wenyin in three directions: “Huaizhun is the most precious”, “Han Jungong’s 13th Sun Siyu’s Quzhaizhong”, and “Foolish Porcelain Drunken Pottery”
The twenty eighth year refers to the twenty eighth year of the Republic of China (1939), when Xu Beihong was 44 years old
During his stay in Xingzhou (Singapore), Xu Beihong forged a deep friendship with the local scholar Han Huaizhun and created many excellent works for Han Huaizhun. This is one of the works he gave to Han
The picture depicts a steed galloping through autumn grass with its hooves. Xu Beihong’s painting of horses is based on his respect for traditional Chinese and Western painting techniques, and his emphasis on sketching from life has formed his distinctive characteristics. His paintings often leave a blank on the horse’s head, or apply a white powder to express the highlight of the horse’s head, to enhance the three-dimensional sense and the hard texture of the horse’s head. The neck and abdomen of the horse are outlined with a soft brush and thick ink, with thick, elastic curves that demonstrate muscular strength. The horse’s mane and tail are mixed but not disordered in the ink applied with the brush. Its virtual and real strokes, as well as the dense, dry and wet ink atmosphere, show the elegant and free flowing mane of the horse when galloping.