The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of March 16, 2026
A Large Painted Striding Horse
700–800s
(618–907)
Overall: 78.1 x 80 x 22.2 cm (30 3/4 x 31 1/2 x 8 3/4 in.)
Location: Not on view
Did You Know?
A groove runs over the horse’s neck from its ears to the saddle, indicating that its mane and tail were once filled with real horsehair to render the sculpture more realistic.Description
Horses were symbols of status and power in ancient China, used for military operations, mobility, and entertainment for the elite. Around the second century BCE onward, pottery horses began to be placed in tombs as status symbols and companions of the deceased in the afterworld. This horse is harnessed with a saddle and is exceptionally large. It presents a well-bred specimen that strides forcefully ahead.- ?–2004(K.Y. Fine Art, Hong Kong, sold to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph P. Keithley)2004–2024Nancy F. and Joseph P. Keithley, Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art2024–The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
- Von Spee, Clarissa. "Chinese Ceramics and Works on Paper." In The Keithley Collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art, edited by Heather Lemonedes Brown, 194–229. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 2022. Mentioned and Reproduced: pp. 196–197; Mentioned: pp. 259–261
- {{cite web|title=A Large Painted Striding Horse|url=false|author=|year=700–800s|access-date=16 March 2026|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2024.156