10. One Hundred Horses – Giuseppe Castiglione (Lang Shining)
Another famous artwork is Giuseppe Castiglione’s One Hundred Horses. Castiglione (1688–1766) was a European artist who adapted his technique to Chinese aesthetics and served three Chinese emperors as court painter.
The artist was born in Milan and learned to paint under the guidance of a master. When he was 19 years old, he entered the Society of Jesus in Genoa. Although a Jesuit, he was never ordained as a priest, instead joining as a lay brother.
In 1715, Castiglione arrived in Macau, then reached Beijing and stayed at a Jesuit church. One day, Emperor Kangxi (1654–1722) came across one of his paintings. As a result, the artist was assigned a few disciples. In China, Castiglione became known under the name of Lang Shining. He served as an artist for three emperors: Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong. He adapted his Western painting style to Chinese themes and tastes. For example, strong shadows used in chiaroscuro were unacceptable in Chinese portraiture. Emperor Qianlong thought that shadows looked like dirt. Therefore, when Castiglione painted the emperor, he diminished the intensity of the light so that there was no shadow on the face.
Castiglione executed his One Hundred Horses in the form of a Chinese handscroll of nearly eight meters in length. He painted it largely in a European style. Nevertheless, here too Castiglione reduced the dramatic chiaroscuro shading. There are only traces of shadow under the hooves of the horses. You can also see some of the horses are in a “flying gallop” pose that was not conventional in European paintings.
Imperial Horses
The horse played an important role in the life of the Chinese people. As a result it has a special place in Chinese art. You can see how Li Gonglin (1049–1106), a Chinese painter, inspired Castiglione to create this work. For example, some horses disperse into different groups, some grazing on the meadow, some chasing each other, and some rolling on the ground. The horses are all vividly outlined, making the scene lively and idyllic.
Most of Castiglione’s works are painted in tempera on silk, and thus he had to adapt to the Chinese style of working. Painting on silk does not allow for corrections. Therefore, Castiglione had to work out every detail on paper before transferring the idea to silk.
Castiglione depicts horses swaying on the grass or frolicking near each other, just as in Li Gonglin’s painting. Figures are often shown foreshortened. Although he paints trees in the traditional Chinese style, the artist uses shading. But the contrast between light and dark is minimized.
Crossing the River
You can see three horses have already crossed the river while others follow behind them. Some horses are quenching their thirst by the river. More are resting quietly, frolicking with their young offspring. In Chinese art, horses represent speed, endurance, and victory. Certain trees also signify different ideas. For example, the oak is a symbol of masculine strength. You can see the willow tree which is a Buddhist symbol of humility. The pine tree signifies longevity and resilience. Finally, red maple leaves almost always convey the autumn season.
The palace art of the Qing dynasty already showed traces of European influence. However, Castiglione’s use of perspective, light, and shadow helped to refine a style that combined Western techniques with the aesthetics of Qing art. Thus, Castiglione’s depictions of horses became one of the most famous artworks in China.
