Zeng Shanqing

executed in 1992
signed with one seal of the artist

Overall in very good condition. Framed size: 106.7 x 175.3 cm; 42 by 69 in.
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Following in the footsteps of masters like Han Gan in the Tang Dynasty, Zhao Mengfu in the Yuan dynasty, and Xu Beihong in the modern era, Zeng Shanqing adds a contemporary flair to China's long tradition of horse paintings. Zeng's minimal but confident brush gestures serve to accentuate the magnificence of these stately beasts and pay homage to the masters that came before him.

Much of Zeng's work draws inspiration from his years living in Tibet, specifically an appreciation for the nomadic life of the Tibetan plateau. Five Women Riders (LOT 568) is a dynamic portrayal of a neck-and-neck race with barefoot women riding rugged horses. Horse images traditionally signify resistance to authority. As part of the intellectual generation oppressed during the Cultural Revolution, Zeng has personal experience with persecution. His painting of women in a position of freedom and authority makes for a powerful, if understated, social commentary.

Zeng Shanqing was born in Beijing and lived there until he graduated from the Central Academy of Fine Arts. In 1986 he moved to Vienna to take a professorship at the International Summer Institute. He eventually continued west to New York, where he settled with his wife and painter, Yang Yanping. Zeng's works have been exhibited extensively in Hong Kong, New York, London and Koln, and are present in the permanent collections of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford University, British Museum, UK, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco US.