Jiu Fang Gao

Xu Beihong adhered to the innovative spirit of "transforming traditional Chinese paintings", and created a lot of works based on real life and expression of subjective feelings. He absorbed western style technology language and highlighted figures portrait, characterization and plots. This is a representative Chinese painting by Xu Beihong. It is based on the story of "Jiu Fang Gao examines horse", with clear "history painting" characteristic and also practical significance to draw parallels from history. The story plot centers on the main character "Jiu Fang Gao", and the horse also plays an "important role" in the picture. Through eye-sight connection between "Jiu Fang Gao" and the "horse", Xu Beihong particularly formed a vivid depiction of modality and outlined the given situation of "examining horse". The painting composition adopts horizontal expansion, producing a "wide screen" effect, grand, solemn and stable. Based on traditional lines and colors, the ink brush emphasizes processing mode of shape and shade, which is a helpful attempt for the fusion of Chinese and western styles.