Artwork
The Autumn Hunt
The Autumn Hunt is an unspecified painting by the Song dynasty painting artist Chen Juzhong. It dates from 1202 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1930.314
- Credit line
- Charles W. Harkness Endowment Fund
About this work
You see a group of riders on horseback chasing deer through a forest of red and gold leaves.
This painting was made for the Chinese court, but the scene shows the hunting traditions of nomadic people from China’s northeast. The artist probably never saw the hunt in person, he painted what the emperor wanted to imagine.
To see more of this world, look up china, southern song dynasty (1127-1279).
Overview
Equestrian pursuits and hunting were particularly popular among the Khitan (also spelled “Qidan”) and Jurchen, ethnic groups who lived along China’s northeastern border. Their nomadic lifestyle intrigued the Chinese court and inspired Chinese artists to develop a painting genre of foreign people hunting.
Did you know?
The rider at the left has a typical Qidan hairstyle: head shaved on top with thin braids below.
Artist & collection
