Denver Art Museum Visual Analysis: Falconer on Horseback - Essay Example

In the artwork, the Falconer on Horseback (See appendix-1), the artist provides ample importance to the visual elements. For instance, the artist does not make use of primary colors. Instead, a mixture of primary colors is used by the artist to inculcate visual beauty into the artwork. One can see that orange, green, black, and a mixture of ivory white, and light brown are the dominant colors in the artwork. For instance, green provides elegance to the falcon in the artwork. On the other side, a mixture of ivory white and light brown is used by the artist to project the body of the horse and the falconer’s head.

Besides, the falconer is dressed in an orange and green robe. So the combination of primary colors provides visual beauty to the artwork. The artwork is three-dimensional and does not represent any movement because the falconer is holding the falcon and is ready to release it. The falconer’s seating position and the horse’s legs represent the path (line) of the artwork. The medium (say, earthenware) used by the artist provides a rough texture to the artwork in general. In addition, rough texture and color (mixture of primary colors) enhance the form of the artwork (say, three-dimensional).

The artist cunningly inculcates the standard scale of art in the artwork. For instance, the horse’s figure is projected as the biggest object in the artwork. Compared with the falcon and the horse, the falconer’s figure is projected as the biggest object/figure in the artwork. So, the combination of different sizes provides a balanced scale to the artwork as a whole. The artwork’s perspective is symbolic of the importance of leisure time activities (say, hunting with the help of falcons) in China.

As pointed out, earthenware is the main material (medium) used by the artist. Besides, the combination of polychrome lead with earthenware provides elegance and a glazing effect to the artwork as a whole. On the other side, color combination and texture provide visual beauty to the artwork. To be specific, the artwork’s visual beauty is indebted to the colorful dress of the falconer. So, the combination of different visual elements and the traditional art of China is the grass root level reason behind the artistic excellence of The Falconer on Horseback as an artwork.

The historical context of the work is interconnected with the growth and development of art between 618 and 907 in China. During this period, almost all forms of art, including painting and sculpture, underwent rapid growth and development. To be specific, this period is generally known as the golden age of Chinese art and literature. The royal family of the Tang dynasty accepted Buddhism and this deeply influenced Chinese art and architecture. Besides, the popularity of Buddhism among the people of China resulted in the amalgamation of Chinese culture and Buddhist tradition.

In addition, the falconer and the falcon in the artwork are symbolic of the leisure time activity of the wealthy class during the Tang dynasty. Artist’s intention One can easily identify the fact that the artist intends to introduce the rich artistic tradition of China. To be specific, the artist provided equal importance to the horse, the falconer, and the falcon. Patricia Bjaaland Welch states that “In hunting cultures, the falcon is an especially admired bird” (73). The different parts (horse, falconer, and falcon) of the artwork are amalgamated into a single work.

The artist combined these parts into a single work to prove that all living things are interconnected. The outer layer of the artwork is related to leisure time activity in China, but the inner meaning leads the viewers to the connection between human beings and other living things. So, the artist’s purpose is to disclose the fact that human beings must realize the importance of other living things in the world. Summing, I chose this particular work because Chinese art is fascinating.

I am not pointing out the visual beauty of the artwork, but its inner meaning. When I approached the artwork, I was stunned with surprise because the color combination was really attractive. Then, I came to realize the fact that mere visual beauty is not the yardstick to measure the value of an artwork. This artwork is important to me because it helped me to understand the importance of Chinese art within the world of art and architecture. In short, the Falconer on Horseback represents the growth and development of art during the reign of the Tang dynasty in China.