Relief

C395

Location: On Display in the Asia Galleries

From: China | Shaanxi | Xi'an | Zhaoling

Curatorial Section: Asian

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Object Number	C395
Current Location	Asia Galleries - On Display
Culture	Chinese
Provenience	China \| Shaanxi \| Xi'an \| Zhaoling
Period	Tang Dynasty
Date Made	649 CE
Section	Asian
Materials	Limestone \| Stone
Technique	Carved \| Bas Relief
Iconography	Tang Taizong Horse \| General Qiu Xinggong \| Horse \| Saluzi \| 飒露紫
Description	After consolidating the Tang Empire, Emperor Taizong ordered six large stone panels to be carved with the portraits of his favorite horses. These were the horses he had ridden in overcoming his rivals and securing the territory of the empire. From the laudatory poem he composed for each horse, the names and attributes of the horses can be matched to the stone reliefs. The relief shown here depicts the horse called Saluzi, ridden by Taizong at the battle for the city of Luoyang, the Eastern Capital, in 621 CE. When the horse was stuck with an arrow, the emperor was forced to dismount and switch horses with his general, Qiu Xinggong. The general is shown in the relief pulling the arrow out of the horse's chest while it stoically bears the pain.
Height	172.7 cm
Length	207 cm
Width	43.2 cm
Credit Line	Purchased from C. T. Loo; Subscription of Eldridge R. Johnson, 1920

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Sep 1996 - Jun 1997	In A Rush? Take a Quick Tour of The Museum
22 Feb 2017 - Present	China Gallery
1941 - 1966	Chinese Halls
1968 - 22 Feb 2017	Chinese Rotunda
10 Feb 2011 - Present	Silk Road Highlights Supplement

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Quick, Jennifer. Magnificent Objects from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. 1st ed. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, 2004. See: p. 67, fig. 57	View related objects
Zhou, Xiuqin. "Emperor Taizong and His Six Horses." Orientations (Hong Kong) 32, no. 2. (2001): 40-46.	View related objects
Winegrad, Dilys P. Through Time, Across Continents. The University Museum, 1993. See: p. 62, fig. 54	View related objects
Horne, Lee C. Introduction to the Collections of The University Museum. Philadelphia: The University Museum, 1985. See: Fig. 6	View related objects
Guide to the Collections, The University Museum. Philadelphia: The University Museum, 1965. See: p. 164	View related objects
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Fernald, Helen E. "In Defense of the Horses of T'ang T'ai Tsung." The University Museum Bulletin 9, no. 4. (1941): 18-28.	View related objects
Fernald, Helen E. "The Sculpture." The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs 68, no. 394. (1936): 22-30.	View related objects
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Fernald, Helen E. "The Horses of T'ang T'ai Tsung and the Stele of Yu." Journal of the American Oriental Society 55, No. 4 Dec. (1935): 420-428.	View related objects
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Ferguson, John C. "The Six Horses at the Tomb of the Emperor T'ai Tsung of the T'ang Dynasty." Eastern Art 3. (1931): 61-71.	View related objects
Springer, Anton. "Die ostasiatische Kunst." Handbuch der Kunstgeschichte 6. (1929): 435068.	View related objects
March, Benjamin. China and Japan in our Museums. New York: American Council, Institute of Pacific Relations, 1929.	View related objects
Siren, Osvald. Chinese sculpture from the fifth to the fourteenth century; over 900 specimens in stone, bronze, lacquer and wood, principally from northern China. London: E. Benn, Ltd., 1925. See: pg. 116, Plate 426A	View related objects
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Munsterberg, Oskar. Chinesische Kunstgeschichte. 1. Esslingen a. N. : P. Neff, 1924.	View related objects
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Chavannes, Edouard. Mission Archeologique dans la Chine Septentrionale. Paris: E. Leroux, 1909. See: Plate: 288 No. 440	View related objects
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Reinach, Salomon. "Le Representation du Galop dans l'Art Ancien et Moderne." Revue Archeologique T.38, Janvier-Juin. (1901): 224-244. See: Pg. 233, Fig. 135	View related objects

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