Galloping Horse 1937

Xu Beihong captured this galloping horse with ink on paper, using dynamic brushstrokes that convey both form and movement. The interplay between the solid, dark masses of the horse's body and the light, empty spaces around it create a sense of energy and freedom. The structure of the artwork is deceptively simple; a few bold strokes define the horse, yet it pulsates with life. Xu masterfully uses the contrast between wet and dry brush techniques to suggest texture and volume. The horse seems to emerge from the void, a testament to the artist's skill in manipulating space and form. This creates a semiotic interplay between presence and absence, figure and ground. The composition challenges the viewer to consider how much can be communicated with so little. The formal elements—the ink, the brush, the paper—combine to create a powerful evocation of vitality and spirit, reflecting a broader engagement with modernist aesthetics and the reinvention of traditional forms.