Han Gan, Night-Shining White
Speaker: Dr. Cortney Chaffin
An emperor’s feisty horse
This famous traditional Chinese ink painting, currently in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, is a portrait of Tang emperor Xuanzong’s favorite horse, Night-Shining White. Emperor Xuanzong had thousands of horses, but this celestial steed was known for his especially feisty personality.
In this Golden Age of Chinese history, this horse would not be caught dead all dressed up for one of Xuanzong’s fancy synchronized horse parades. He had his own personality! Xuanzong loved Night-Shining White so much that he commissioned artist Han Gan to paint this portrait. Han Gan is one of the greatest horse painters in the history of Chinese art. He captured Night-Shining White’s incredibly spirited character in this famous scroll painting.
Han Gan, Night-Shining White, c. 750, Tang dynasty, ink on paper, handscroll, Image: 12 1/8 x 13 3/8 in. (30.8 x 34 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Video chapters
0:05 Introduction
0:10 Journey to Tang dynasty China and the horse painter Han Gan
0:30 Han Gan, Emperor Xuanzong, and horse poop
0:50 Tianma, heavenly horses from Central Asia that sweated blood
1:18 Brief introduction to Han Gan’s horse portrait
1:39 What are all those red stamps (seals) on the painting and why are they so cool?
2:27 A closer look at Night-Shining White
2:52 Han Gan, a traditional Chinese ink painter, and his tools
3:27 Emperor Xuanzong and his famous synchronized horse dances
4:05 Why did Emperor Xuanzong love Night-Shining White so much, and why is this painting so important?
Learn more
Discover more about the Tang dynasty.
Learn more about early imperial China.
