The two horses galloping theme is the heart of this horse scroll painting, and it beats steadily. The overall effect is serene rather than showy, suited to a room meant for lingering. Among pieces of chinese painting for home decor, this is the quiet kind: balanced, calm, and easy to live with.
Ink wash does the heavy lifting here, and the color, where it appears, merely assists. The two horses adds a quiet accent, handled in the old manner of the brush. The galloping appears as a small pleasure of the composition, easily missed and worth finding. Distance is suggested with a wash; closeness with a line. The old division holds.
Collectors of feng shui home decor will recognize the vocabulary at once: restraint, balance, and a feel for the natural world. Days pass, and the picture keeps finding new ways to hold the eye. Give it wall space and it will repay the attention.
