Copy of Wei Yan's Herding Scroll - Colophon
Think of this scroll section as a royal guestbook that got out of hand! While the original artwork is Li Gonglin's masterful copy of a Tang dynasty horse herding scene, the massive block of calligraphy in the center was actually written by Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty. He wrote passionately about his rise from a peasant to a ruler and the crucial role of horses in his military victories. Centuries later, Emperor Qianlong couldn't resist adding his own commentary on the far right and stamping the paper with his giant red imperial seals, layering history right on top of the art.
Location: The Palace Museum, Beijing
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