Artwork
清 郎世寧 百駿圖白描稿 卷|One Hundred Horses
清 郎世寧 百駿圖白描稿 卷|One Hundred Horses is an ink painting by the Baroque artist Giuseppe Castiglione. It dates from 1724 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1724, the hand‑scroll titled *One Hundred Horses* is an ink drawing on thin paper attributed to Giuseppe Castiglione. The work measures several meters in length and presents a continuous procession of more than one hundred equine figures, arranged in varied poses that include grazing, trotting and standing still.
Subject & Meaning
The scroll concentrates exclusively on horses, a motif traditionally associated with power and vitality in Chinese court art. By depicting the animals in diverse activities, the composition suggests a harmonious balance between vigor and tranquility, reflecting the imperial interest in both martial prowess and agrarian abundance.
Technique & Style
Castiglione combines European linear precision with Chinese brushwork, employing delicate, almost sketch‑like outlines. Shadows are rendered through fine cross‑hatching, a method that builds tonal depth without obscuring the fluidity of the line. The overall effect is a restrained yet lively representation that bridges two artistic traditions.
History & Provenance
An Italian Jesuit trained in the West, Castiglione served as a painter at the Qing imperial court, where he produced works for the emperor’s collection. The *One Hundred Horses* scroll remained within the palace holdings before entering the public domain in the early twentieth century, where it has been catalogued as a notable example of Sino‑European synthesis.
Context
During the early eighteenth century the Qing court encouraged the incorporation of foreign techniques into native art, a policy that allowed artists like Castiglione to experiment with hybrid visual languages. This scroll exemplifies that cultural exchange, illustrating how European draftsmanship could be adapted to Chinese thematic conventions.
Artist & collection
