Evaluating a Horse
Classification
Painting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Accession Number
F1916.78
Tags
About this artwork
To 1916
Art Historical Context
"Evaluating a Horse" is a Chinese painting from the Ming (1368–1644), once attributed to the Tang-era artist Han Huang (723–787). reattribution reflects evolving scholarly insights into Chinese art history, highlighting how works were often linked to illustrious Tang masters centuries later. Created during the Ming period—a golden age of refined brushwork and literati painting—the piece exemplifies the enduring tradition of depicting horses, symbols of power, loyalty, and imperial might in Chinese culture. The composition likely centers on a man closely inspecting a horse, a motif rooted in e...