Zongdao Huang's Stag Hunt

The work, Stag Hunt , was painted by Zongdao Huang, which is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It made of ink and color on paper from the Northern Song (960–1127) or Jin (1115–1234) dynasty in China. The work, Sekiya Village on the Sumida River (Sumidagawa Sekiya no sato), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei), was painted by Katsushika Hokusai, which is also on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It made of ink and color on paper and made in 1930-32 in Japan. Comparing these two works of art, they have different historical and cultural backgrounds, but the high speed of movement and strength of the horse which shown in these two works of art are very similar. In these two paintings,

In the painting, Stag Hunt, Zongdao Hung used the simple and curvilinear lines to draw the horse’s body and rider and he also used dry ink to complete the horsehair, tail and legs of horse. On the other hand, he created the shape of the horse in shading which made the horse looks more three dimensional and natural, similar to what it is look in reality. The artist gave the obviously contrasting colors between the horse and rider to attract attention when people looked the painting. Zongdao Huang used black and dark brown on the body of horse and bright colors such as white and red on the clothing of rider. In the painting, the horse was shown in a flying gallop and its feet was off the ground, which presented the horse was running. The hat and clothing of rider was floating, which showed the movement of horse. On other way, the rider leaned the body forward and keep the posture of after shooting the arrow, which also showed the hight speed of movement. In the other painting, Sekiya Village on the Sumida River (Sumidagawa Sekiya no sato), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei), Katsushika used similar way to express the movement of horse as the painting, Stag Hunt. He used the fluid outlines to draw the body of horses and gave the shape of figures in natural way, which made the figures naturalistic to the composition. He also used the

In the early China, hunting was a nobel amusement activity because it was really expensive so that only wealthy people can do it. Moreover, in the painting, Stag Hunt, the rider wears the well designed cloth and shoes and holds the decorated hunting bow in white and red color, as well as hang on the fur quiver of the arrows which has beautiful pattern on his left hip. He also uses the tiger skin which is luxury at that time as a cushion on the horse back, which shows his is rich. The details painted by artists such as attire of rider, hunting tool and cushion express that the rider has high status in that period. In the Japanese work of art, there are three travellers riding on the way. In ancient Asia, walking was the common way of travelling for people. In the painting, these travellers use horses as the transportation, which can express the high status of these people. Because buying and feeding horses were really expensive. Only high status and wealthy people could afford the horse. Moreover, these horses have the exquisite harnesses which looks like very expensive and has good quality. These three men also wear the colourful and fancy garments with different patterns. The cushions on the horses back are also painting in contrasting colors such as white and black, white and red, which matching the color of clothing of