Relief
| Object Number: | C395 |
|---|---|
| Current Location: |
Asia Galleries Currently On Display |
| Culture: | Chinese |
| Provenience: | China Shaanxi Xi'an Zhaoling |
| Period: | Tang Dynasty |
| Date Made: | 649 CE |
| Early Date: | 649 |
| Late Date: | 649 |
| Section: | Asian |
| Materials: | Limestone Stone |
| Technique: | Carved Bas Relief |
| Iconography: | Tang Taizong Horse General Qiu Xinggong Horse Saluzi 飒露紫 |
| Height: | 172.7 cm |
| Length: | 207 cm |
| Width: | 43.2 cm |
| Credit Line: | Purchased from C. T. Loo; Subscription of Eldridge R. Johnson, 1920 |
Description
After consolidating the Tang Empire, Emperor Taizong ordered six large stone panels to be carved with the portraits of his favorite horses. These were the horses he had ridden in overcoming his rivals and securing the territory of the empire. From the laudatory poem he composed for each horse, the names and attributes of the horses can be matched to the stone reliefs. The relief shown here depicts the horse called Saluzi, ridden by Taizong at the battle for the city of Luoyang, the Eastern Capital, in 621 CE. When the horse was stuck with an arrow, the emperor was forced to dismount and switch horses with his general, Qiu Xinggong. The general is shown in the relief pulling the arrow out of the horse's chest while it stoically bears the pain.
Current & Past Exhibitions:
| In A Rush? Take a Quick Tour of The Museum ( Sep 1996 - Jun 1997) | View Objects in Exhibition |
| Silk Road Highlights Supplement (10 Feb 2011) | View Objects in Exhibition |
| China Gallery (22 Feb 2017) | View Objects in Exhibition |
| Chinese Halls (1941 - 1966) | View Objects in Exhibition |
| Chinese Rotunda (1968 - 22 Feb 2017) | View Objects in Exhibition |
Bibliography:
| [Catalogue, Exhibition] Sung, Hou-mei. 2022. Galloping through Dynasties.. Milano. Skira. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: pg. 29-31, Fig. 9 | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Book] Dorling Kindersley Limited. 2014. History of the World in 1,000 Objects.. London. Dorling Kindersley Limited. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: Page 162 Top row, third from left | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Article] Zhou, Xiuqin. Apr 2009. "The Mausoleum of Emperor Tang Taizong". Sino-Platonic Papers. Philadelphia. University of Pennsylvania. Vol. 187. Actual Citation | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Article] Steinhardt, Nancy S. 2008. "The Chinese Rotunda". Arts of Asia. Kowloon. Arts of Asia Publications, Ltd. Vol. 38. no. 5. pg. 83-95 Actual Citation | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Article] Zhou, Xiuqin. 2005. "Excavations at Zhaoling, Shaanxi, China: More Light on the Museum's Chinese Horse Reliefs". Expedition: The Magazine of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Philadelphia. The University Museum. Vol. 47. no. 2. pg. 38-39 Actual Citation | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Book] Quick, Jennifer. 2004. Magnificent Objects from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.. Philadelphia. University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. ed. 1st. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: p. 67, fig. 57 | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Article] Zhou, Xiuqin. 2001. "Emperor Taizong and His Six Horses". Orientations (Hong Kong). Hong Kong. Orientations Magazine Ltd. Vol. 32. no. 2. pg. 40-46 Actual Citation | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Book] Winegrad, Dilys P. 1993. Through Time, Across Continents.. The University Museum. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: p. 62, fig. 54 | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Book] Horne, Lee C. 1985. Introduction to the Collections of The University Museum.. Philadelphia. The University Museum. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: Fig. 6 | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Catalogue, Collection] 1965. Guide to the Collections, The University Museum.. Philadelphia. The University Museum. pg. 1-167 Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: p. 164 | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Article] Jayne, Horace H. 1941. "The Chinese Collections of The University Museum: A Handbook of the Principal Objects". The University Museum Bulletin. Philadelphia. The University Museum. Vol. 9. no. 2-3. pg. 9-50 Actual Citation | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Article] Fernald, Helen E. 1941. "In Defense of the Horses of T'ang T'ai Tsung". The University Museum Bulletin. Philadelphia. The University Museum. Vol. 9. no. 4. pg. 18-28 Actual Citation | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Article] Fernald, Helen E. 1936. "The Sculpture". The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs. London. Vol. 68. no. 394. pg. 22-30 Actual Citation | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Article] Ferguson, John C. 1936. "The Six Horses of T'ang T'ai Tsung". Journal of the North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. Vol. 67. Actual Citation | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Article] Jayne, Horace H. 1935. "The Museum's Loan to Burlington House ( for International Exhibition of Chinese Art held in London 1935-36)". The University Museum Bulletin. Philadelphia. The University Museum. Vol. 6. no. 1. pg. 17-21 Actual Citation | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Article] Fernald, Helen E. 1935. "The Horses of T'ang T'ai Tsung and the Stele of Yu". Journal of the American Oriental Society. Vol. 55. no. No. 4 Dec.. pg. 420-428 Actual Citation | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Catalogue] Royal Academy of Arts. 1935. Catalogue of the International Exhibition of Chinese Art.. London. Royal Academy of Arts. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: Pg. 205, No. 2387, Pg. 218 2387 (illustration) | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Article] Ferguson, John C. 1931. "The Six Horses at the Tomb of the Emperor T'ai Tsung of the T'ang Dynasty". Eastern Art. Philadelphia. College Art Association of America. Vol. 3. pg. 61-71 Actual Citation | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Article] Springer, Anton. 1929. "Die ostasiatische Kunst". Handbuch der Kunstgeschichte. Leipzig. Alfred Kroner Verlag. Vol. 6. pg. 43, 50, pl. 68 Actual Citation | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Book] March, Benjamin. 1929. China and Japan in our Museums.. New York. American Council, Institute of Pacific Relations. Actual Citation | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Book] Siren, Osvald. 1925. Chinese sculpture from the fifth to the fourteenth century; over 900 specimens in stone, bronze, lacquer and wood, principally from northern China.. London. E. Benn, Ltd. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: pg. 116, Plate 426A | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Book] Ashton, Leigh. 1924. An Introduction to the Study of Chinese Sculpture.. London. E. Benn, Ltd. Actual Citation | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Book] Munsterberg, Oskar. 1924. Chinesische Kunstgeschichte.. Esslingen a. N. : P. Neff. Vol. 1. Actual Citation | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Article] Waley, Arthur. 1923. "T'ai Tsung's Six Chargers". The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs. London. Vol. 43. no. No. 246. Actual Citation | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Article] Pelliot, Paul. 1923. "Les statues en laque seche dans l'ancien art chinois". Journal Asiatique. Paris. Vol. (April - June). pg. 181-207 Actual Citation | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Article] Bishop, Carl W. 1918. "Horses of T'ang T'ai Tsung". The Museum Journal. Philadelphia. The University Museum. Vol. IX. no. Nos. 3-4. Actual Citation | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Book] Chavannes, Edouard. 1909. Mission Archeologique dans la Chine Septentrionale.. Paris. E. Leroux. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: Plate: 288 No. 440 | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Book] Bushell, Stephen W. 1904. Chinese Art.. London. Victoria and Albert Museum. Vol. Vol. 1. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: pg. 43, fig. 18 | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
| [Article] Reinach, Salomon. 1901. "Le Representation du Galop dans l'Art Ancien et Moderne". Revue Archeologique. Vol. T.38. no. Janvier-Juin. Actual Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: Pg. 233, Fig. 135 | View Objects related to this Actual Citation |
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