Horse and Willow Tree

Horse and Willow Tree

Unidentified artist

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Since the Han dynasty (206 B.C.–A.D. 220), fine horses have symbolized military power and imperial authority in China. For this reason, powerful steeds were a popular subject at the early Ming court. Frequently such paintings show sleek animals grazing, often tethered to willow trees. Perhaps such images were intended to connote an empire at peace, when warhorses were not required to subdue insurrection or combat foreign invaders

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.