The painting was lost during the occupation of Beijing by the Eight-Nation Alliance in 1900 and later recovered from a collector in Hong Kong during the early 1950s. Now it is stored in the Palace Museum in Beijing.
Created in Tang Dynasty China, Five Oxen is an ink and colour painting by Han Huang, who served as the prime minister during Emperor Daizong’s reign (726 - 779). While he is not widely acclaimed as an official, Han Huang is celebrated for his achievements in painting. He is renowned as a cow-themed painter, with Five Oxen being one of his most representative works and thought of as a national treasure.
Five Oxen depicts exactly what its name implies: five cows. In the painting, each cow is depicted with a distinct hide pattern: brown, yellow, black, spotted – all engaged in different activities such as bowing down to nibble on a plant, gazing at the sky, or looking back and sticking out its tongue. The variety in perspectives, poses, and expressions illustrates Han Huang’s deep understanding of cow anatomy and behaviour, as well as his exquisite painting skills.
Han Huang’s skill in painting cows displays his fondness for the animal, as he regarded them as indispensable in agricultural production. In addition to cows being the subject of many of his artworks, Han Huang’s fondness for the animal can be seen in how he ordered a ban on slaughtering cattle in the area of his jurisdiction.
Other than reflecting how Han Huang liked cows, Five Oxen can also be interpreted as a reflection of Han Huang’s sympathy for farmers, seeing both cows and farmers as diligent, hardworking, but often under-appreciated.
Five Oxen is a masterful example of animal portraiture from the Tang dynasty, traditionally attributed to Han Huang. The painting emphasizes careful observation and naturalistic detail, depicting five oxen in varied poses each rendered with distinct physical characteristics and personality. The artist uses delicate yet confident brushwork to define the oxen’s muscular bodies, textured hides and expressive faces, creating a strong sense of volume and vitality. the horizontal handscroll format allows the animals to be viewed sequentially, encouraging close visual study. The sparse background directs complete attention to the oxen, making their forms the central focus. Subtle tonal gradations in ink and color enhance depth, while the rhythmic arrangement of the animals creates balance and movement across the scroll.
