Three Tang Horses

With its dynamic shapes, energetic brushwork, and calligraphic lines, Three Tang Horses reflects the elegant simplicity of modern art. Recognized by the Hawai’i State Senate as a “Living Treasure of Hawai’i,” John Young applied his knowledge of Chinese calligraphy and art history to paint the spirited horses of the Tang Dynasty (7th-10th c.). He was always fascinated by Chinese horse paintings, but there was a sense of power and majesty about Young's horse paintings that set them apart. Young’s Three Tang Horses is exceptional for the spectacular color palette of red, sepia, and blue tones and the rarity of his available paintings. The horses gallop and whinny, their manes flowing in the wind; only essential contours and abstract lines portray these remarkable details.