Animals in Various Forms · Steeds

Author: Wang Zhengping (Editor)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: The relationship between humans and horses has evolved from ancient times to the present. This can be glimpsed from early human cave paintings and modern artworks depicting horses. Let alone the heroic spirit of warhorses charging into battle alongside humans throughout history, or the close bond between horses and humans in pulling carts for livelihood, even the dynamic and majestic posture of horses—like their leaping and galloping forms—reveals an undeniable beauty. The rugged highlands further accentuate the spirited elegance of these noble creatures, stirring excitement and inspiration in artists. Today, with the advancement of science and technology and the modernization of transportation, horses have become increasingly rare in daily life. In the eyes of modern people, they are often seen more for aesthetic and recreational purposes, with the works of contemporary master painter Xu Beihong being particularly lauded. To meet the urgent needs of many painters and art enthusiasts who are too busy to personally observe and sketch horses in their natural habitat, the author was commissioned by the editors of Jiangxi Fine Arts Publishing House to travel great distances, enduring wind and hardship, and spent over three months deep in the Xilingol Grassland of Inner Mongolia, capturing the diverse movements of horses from multiple perspectives and angles. This photography collection, one of the artist's tool series titled Animal Portraits·Magnificent Horses, compiled and published now, embodies the dedication of both the author and the editor. From over 2,000 photographs taken, nearly 600 works have been carefully selected and curated. Each piece has undergone meticulous curation. If this Animal Portraits·Magnificent Horses can provide artists with readily usable visual resources for their creative endeavors, it would be the shared aspiration of both the author and the editor.