This horse scroll painting renders the blue rein willow theme with the poise of the old masters. Tonal control is the star: darks that hold, lights that breathe. Among pieces of classical chinese artwork, this is the quiet kind: balanced, calm, and easy to live with.
Collectors will linger on the willow, rendered here with unforced detail. Collectors will linger on the blue rein, rendered here with unforced detail. With the white horse, the scene gains a lived-in quality that rewards slow looking. The overall impression is one of poise, hard to achieve and harder to fake. The picture keeps its own counsel, revealing itself a little at a time.
As chinese silk scroll painting, it asks for nothing more than a good wall and soft light. It holds its own in a gallery wall and shines brightest with space around it. It makes a gracious gift for weddings and new homes.
