CHINA (Taiwan), 1970, Scott 1659-1663
The 25-foot long One Hundred Horses (National Palace Museum, Taipei)
Click to enlarge

Giuseppe Castiglione, born in Milan, Italy, entered the Jesuit Order at the age of 19, studied under Br. Andrea Pozzo, SJ, came to China in 1715, and was appointed court painter at the Imperial Palace in Beijing. He served in this position under three emperors, painting under the Chinese name Lang Shih-ning. He became a key figure in the artistic revival of the time, introducing Chinese painters to perspective, three-dimensionality and other Western techniques. Combining typical Chinese material with Western technique, he was particularly known for portraits and animals, especially horses. Very popular with the postal services, Castiglione's paintings are on almost 40 stamps, and one stamp is dedicated to the Old Summer Palace at Beijing which he also designed..

 
CHINA (Taiwan), 1977, from One Hundred Horses, for Christmas/New Year, Scott 2079-80

 
CHINA, 2002, to the left a postal card from Castiglione's One Hundred Horses [2002-1103(BK)-0025(4-2)]
to the right a postal card from Castiglione's Eight Prized Steeds, a hanging scroll, ink and light colors on silk;
probably done not long after he arrived in China in 1715 and thus during the reign of the Yung-cheng Emperor (r. 1723-1735) [2002-2400(BK)-0049]

 
CHINA (Taiwan), 1970, Scott 1664-1665

Snow-dotted Eagle, Scott 1856	Comfortable Ride, Scott 1857
Red Flower Eagle, Scott 1858	Cloud-running Steed, Scott 1859
Sky-running Steed, Scott 1860	Red Jade Seat, Scott 1861
Thunderclap Steed, Scott 1862	Arabian Champion, Scott 1863

CHINA (Taiwan), 1973, from Ten Prized Horses

CHINA (Taiwan), 1973, a souvenir sheet of the above set, 1862a

TOGO, 2013, for the Year of the Horse