Museum Updates
Palace Museum's masterpiece depicts 1,200 horses in one scroll
Updated: Mar 5, 2026
China Bound
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This breathtaking handscroll, Pasturing Horses, was painted by Li Gonglin (1049-1106) of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), copying an earlier masterpiece by Tang Dynasty (618-907) artist Wei Yan (active in the 8th century). It depicts a spectacular panorama of over 140 figures and more than 1,200 horses.
Across rolling earthen slopes and open plains, herders drive a surging mass of horses forward. From crowded horses of the first half of the scroll to gradually scattering horses of the second, the painting captures horses in different states, unfolding with rhythm and movement. Collection: Palace Museum.
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