Sino-French exhibition explores cultural horsepower

For centuries, horses have carried more than riders. They have carried stories of power and prestige, warfare and diplomacy, artistic imagination and cultural exchange.

Now, a new exhibition is inviting visitors to explore how the East and the West have understood and represented the horse across history.

Riding Into Reflection: A Sino-French Exhibition on Equine Culture opened on Aug 25 at Jiale Hall of Prince Kung's Palace Museum in Beijing, bringing together more than 200 pieces and sets of artifacts and artworks from Chinese cultural institutions, the Hong Kong Jockey Club and French collections.

Jointly organized by Prince Kung's Palace Museum under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Chateau de Chantilly in France, the exhibition uses the horse as a bridge to examine the connections and differences between Chinese and Western civilizations.

Featuring more than 60 precious equine-themed pieces from Chateau de Chantilly, a major European center for equestrian and hunting culture collections, the exhibition also showcases Chinese bronzeware, paintings, sculptures, contemporary artworks, and historical objects related to horse riding.

Divided into three sections — "Tracing the Origins of Two Steeds", "Riding With the Wind" and "Unbridled Imagination" — the exhibition follows the horse's journey from a practical companion to a cultural symbol.

The first section explores the shared history of humans and horses. Through fossils, traditional riding equipment and architectural drawings, it traces how horses contributed to exchanges between Eastern and Western civilizations.

A display of stables at Prince Kung's Palace and Chateau de Chantilly highlights similarities in horse breeding and management practices, showing how distant societies developed comparable approaches to caring for these animals.

The second section focuses on equestrian traditions and craftsmanship. Visitors can view Chinese imperial hunting paintings, including depictions of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) hunting ceremonies, alongside French royal hunting oil paintings and classical sculptures.

The exhibition also places Chinese saddle-making techniques and Western equestrian equipment side by side, while multimedia displays introduce different riding traditions, from traditional horsemanship and dressage to modern horse racing.

The final section turns to artistic expression, presenting horse-themed embroidery, sculptures and glass artworks.

Interactive installations allow visitors to engage with the imagery and sounds associated with horses, showing how the animal has evolved from a tool of transportation and warfare into an enduring artistic inspiration.

The exhibition reflects a long-term partnership between two cultural landmarks. Through cooperation in exhibitions, academic research and cultural products, both institutions aim to use shared cultural symbols to encourage dialogue between civilizations.

As the exhibition continues through Nov 29, visitors will have an opportunity to discover how a single animal has galloped across borders and generations, leaving behind a shared legacy of cultural memory.