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Hope and horses China's rich equine art on display

Date：8/12/2008 4:00:54 AM

HONG KONG (Reuters Life!) - With Hong Kong poised to host Olympic equestrian events next week, three exhibitions are showcasing the historical importance of horses in Chinese culture through equine-inspired artworks and rare treasures. 
At the Hong Kong Museum of History, a batch of precious cultural relics, on loan from museums across China, include a Qin dynasty "saddled" horse from the famed underground Terracotta Army site in the northern city of Xian.
Other artifacts in the "Heavenly Horse" exhibition include a bronze horse head looted from Beijing's old summer palace in 1860, a gilt bronze horse from the Han dynasty and a Tang dynasty "Sancai" figurine of a horse and female rider.
A striking life-size painting of a white steed by Italian Jesuit priest Giuseppe Castiglione, painted at the court of the Qing dynasty Qianlong emperor, is also on display.
"Most of the items in the exhibition have never been displayed in Hong Kong before," said museum curator Brian Lam.
Horse-racing mad Hong Kong, home of the famed Jockey Club and wealthy breeders and owners, is set to host Olympic equestrian events from August 9, the day after the Games' opening. 
HISTORY AND HORSES
Horses have played a central role in Chinese history with horse-drawn carriages developed over 3,000 years ago, as cavalry became increasingly important in the Qin and Han dynasties.
The Mongols of the northern steppes were superb nomadic herdsmen who overran China, while the Manchus of Manchuria, who reigned during the Qing dynasty, were great horseback hunters.
"Chinese people believe the horse represents vigor and drive and a kind of hope. In China, from the most ancient cave paintings to imperial ceramics and sculpture, there have been equine images and motifs," said Kwok Ho-mun of Wan Fung Art Gallery which is organizing its own equine exhibition.
"Now, even though horses have less ties to everyday life, the spirit of horses is still embodied in Chinese art."
Wan Fung Art Gallery's "Evolution of the Art of Horses" comprises over two hundred pieces of horse-inspired artwork including ink and oil Chinese paintings along with woodcarvings and old European prints.
At the pink-hued Hong Kong Museum of Art, perched beside the city's panoramic harbor, 40 horse-inspired exhibits ranging from ceramics, bronzes, bamboo carvings and paintings are on show.
Spanning China's rich past, the works include a Qing dynasty enameled plate and a brushwork horse painting by one of the country's greatest modern painters, Xu Beihong.
The black and white painting in flowing, swift brushstrokes highlights the Paris-educated Xu's aptitude for capturing the quintessential equine and Chinese spirit. Xu's paintings of horses are among his favorite and best-loved works.
"His paintings showed that there was still hope," said Lam, of Xu's horse paintings, many of which were done during Japan's brutal occupation of China during World War Two.
"He (Xu) wanted to convey the message that even though there were great difficulties, China could still overcome them."
The Hong Kong history museum's exhibition will run until October 13. The Hong Kong art museum's "Story of the Horse" will run until December while Wan Fung gallery exhibit ends August 23.