Title
Horse
Label
Horse 马(mǎ)
Made in Jingdezhen, China, 1740-1780
Made of hard-paste porcelain
On loan from Felicia Warburg Rogan
This figure of a horse could represent many things: nobility, youthful vigor, wealth, or success. The Chinese term “on a horse” (mǎshàng 马上) also means “right away,” associating horses with immediate success. For this reason, images of horses often decorate business spaces today in Asia.
Horses were also associated with dragons in ancient China. The strongest and swiftest horses were said to be of “the dragon herd,” and the classification for the tallest horses was simply “dragon” (lóng 龙). Legends also told of a powerful dragon-horse (lóngmǎ 龙马), whose appearance signaled the birth of a great sage or ruler.
Made in Jingdezhen, China, 1740-1780
Made of hard-paste porcelain
On loan from Felicia Warburg Rogan
This figure of a horse could represent many things: nobility, youthful vigor, wealth, or success. The Chinese term “on a horse” (mǎshàng 马上) also means “right away,” associating horses with immediate success. For this reason, images of horses often decorate business spaces today in Asia.
Horses were also associated with dragons in ancient China. The strongest and swiftest horses were said to be of “the dragon herd,” and the classification for the tallest horses was simply “dragon” (lóng 龙). Legends also told of a powerful dragon-horse (lóngmǎ 龙马), whose appearance signaled the birth of a great sage or ruler.
Collection
Citation
“Horse,” Museums at Washington and Lee University: Online Exhibits, accessed May 17, 2024, https://exhibits-museums.omeka.wlu.edu/items/show/369.