Five Horses

Zhao Yong (style name Zhongmu), the second son of the famous scholar-artist Zhao Mengfu, followed the footsteps of his father in painting and calligraphy. Zhao Yong was especially gifted at depicting figures and saddled horses. This painting, dated to the equivalent of 1352, depicts horses at leisure and a groom dozing against a pine to highlight the relaxed atmosphere. In traditional Chinese painting, horses are seen as symbolic of human character, the groom manifesting officialdom or even the emperor. As such, this work suggests the idea of a country in peace, not requiring action on the part of the ruler and letting men of virtue give rein to their talents. The painting throughout is rendered with lines using a centered brush complemented by blue-and-green colors. Combined with the formulaic treatment of leaves, it has much of the archaic manner associated with Tang dynasty (618-907) painting. The composition, however, emphasizes the scenery more proportionally, and the arrangement is spacious and remote, possessing more literati spirit in the landscape painting. As a result, the scroll fully expresses the archaistic trend in and achievements of Yuan literati painting.