Artwork

清 傳金農 番馬圖 軸|Grooms and Foreign Horses

清  傳金農  番馬圖  軸|Grooms and Foreign Horses, by Jin Nong, ink, 1725
清  傳金農  番馬圖  軸|Grooms and Foreign Horses, by Jin Nong, ink, 1725

清 傳金農 番馬圖 軸|Grooms and Foreign Horses is an ink painting by the Baroque artist Jin Nong. It dates from 1725 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting depicts a groom alongside foreign horses, rendered in ink and color on silk as a hanging scroll dated 1725.

The painting depicts a groom alongside foreign horses, rendered in ink and color on silk as a hanging scroll dated 1725. The focus on horses and their attendant aligns with Qing literati interest in foreign subjects, particularly imported horses prized for their strength and exotic provenance. Such imagery often carried associations with imperial patronage and cultural exchange, reflecting both the prestige of imported equines and the artist’s engagement with themes of power and foreignness within a Chinese visual idiom.

Technique & Style

Executed in 1725, this hanging scroll utilizes ink and color applied on a silk support. The work is classified as a history painting that formally depicts figures of men alongside horses. As a piece attributed to Jin Nong, the composition employs traditional Chinese brushwork techniques characteristic of the Qing dynasty period to render the subjects.

History & Provenance

Jin Nong painted the hanging scroll titled Grooms and Foreign Horses in 1725 in China, using ink and color on silk. The piece depicts a man alongside foreign horses and is classified as a history painting. It entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection and is housed there today.

The work’s creation is recorded for the year 1725, and its presence in the museum’s holdings reflects a continuous ownership chain from its origin to the present.

The hanging scroll Grooms and Foreign Horses, attributed to Jin Nong and dated 1725, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work is classified as a painting created with ink and color on silk. While the source identifies the institution and the specific artwork by its creator and date, no specific accession number, inventory details, or exhibition history are provided in the available records.

Overview

This hanging scroll, rendered in ink and color on silk, is attributed to the artist Jin Nong and dates to 1725. Titled Grooms and Foreign Horses, the painting presents a lone figure guiding three distinct equines. The composition captures a moment of quiet interaction between the groom and his charges, set against a minimalist landscape.

Context

Created during the 1700s, this painting reflects a common artistic theme in China of the period. Horses were frequently depicted not only for their aesthetic qualities but also for their symbolic associations. They often represented concepts of strength, imperial power, and the exoticism of foreign lands, themes that resonated within the cultural landscape of the Qing dynasty.

明/清   佚名   舊傳陸青   洗馬圖   冊頁|Washing a Horse
明/清 佚名 舊傳陸青 洗馬圖 冊頁|Washing a Horse, Lu Qing

Artist & collection

Portrait of Jin Nong

Artist

Jin Nong

Chinese, 1687–1773

Frequently asked questions

Who painted 清 傳金農 番馬圖 軸|Grooms and Foreign Horses?

清 傳金農 番馬圖 軸|Grooms and Foreign Horses was painted by Jin Nong in 17th–18th century.

Where can I see 清 傳金農 番馬圖 軸|Grooms and Foreign Horses?

清 傳金農 番馬圖 軸|Grooms and Foreign Horses is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 清 傳金農 番馬圖 軸|Grooms and Foreign Horses?

清 傳金農 番馬圖 軸|Grooms and Foreign Horses is associated with Baroque.