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Lot Essay
After the outbreak of the Second World War, Xu Beihong travelled extensively around the world. He first arrived in Singapore in early 1939 from Hong Kong, where he organised successful fundraising exhibitions for war relief efforts. He then travelled through Myanmar and by the end of the year, he reached Santiniketan in India, the campus of Visva-Bharati University founded by Rabindranath Tagore.
Santiniketan, a quiet rural town with scenic landscapes, provided Xu Beihong with a safe haven away from the war. With Santiniketan as his base, Xu Beihong took trips to the Ganges River, Darjeeling and the Himalayas, accompanied by students and artists of Visva-Bharati University. The natural scenery greatly inspired him, as documented in the poem he composed: ‘how I love the water slowly flowing to the east / the fine sand of the Ganges clearing my name.’ The artist inscribed Two Horses under Willow with the poem, dating it to 1940, upon his return to Santiniketan from an excursion to the Ganges. Under the willow tree by the river, one horse bows its head to drink while the other lifts a front leg to scratch its head, completely at ease. Xu Beihong’s wartime depictions of horses often show them running and alert, but the relaxed mood of the horses in this painting no doubt reflected the artist’s state of mind during a time of relative calm.
In 1941, Xu Beihong returned to Singapore from India. He continued to hold touring exhibitions in Singapore and Malaysia, showcasing new works created in India. Two Horses under Willow went into an important Southeast Asian collection, where it has remained for several decades. This is the first time it is being seen by the public.
Santiniketan, a quiet rural town with scenic landscapes, provided Xu Beihong with a safe haven away from the war. With Santiniketan as his base, Xu Beihong took trips to the Ganges River, Darjeeling and the Himalayas, accompanied by students and artists of Visva-Bharati University. The natural scenery greatly inspired him, as documented in the poem he composed: ‘how I love the water slowly flowing to the east / the fine sand of the Ganges clearing my name.’ The artist inscribed Two Horses under Willow with the poem, dating it to 1940, upon his return to Santiniketan from an excursion to the Ganges. Under the willow tree by the river, one horse bows its head to drink while the other lifts a front leg to scratch its head, completely at ease. Xu Beihong’s wartime depictions of horses often show them running and alert, but the relaxed mood of the horses in this painting no doubt reflected the artist’s state of mind during a time of relative calm.
In 1941, Xu Beihong returned to Singapore from India. He continued to hold touring exhibitions in Singapore and Malaysia, showcasing new works created in India. Two Horses under Willow went into an important Southeast Asian collection, where it has remained for several decades. This is the first time it is being seen by the public.