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As the Year of the Horse nears, Liu Yan, an inheritor of Zhenzhou stone painting, a Yangzhou intangible cultural heritage, has created a horse-themed artwork, adding to her Chinese zodiac animal series.
A horse-themed stone painting by Yangzhou artisan Liu Yan. [Photo/WeChat account: yzs_lyj]
Stone painting, true to its name, is the art of painting directly onto stones. Using them as a natural canvas, artists conjure up unique pieces by drawing inspiration from their shapes, textures, and inherent patterns.
Historically, zodiac stone paintings were also practiced in Yizheng, a county-level city of Yangzhou, during the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Skilled artisans of the time would depict various forms of the zodiac animals on selected stones.
In 2015, Liu Yan encountered stone painting online and apprenticed under a master from Xinjiang. Since then, she has dedicated herself to reviving the craft. Through years of exploration and practice, she has mastered the intricate techniques of stone selection, composition, and coloring, breathing new life into Zhenzhou stone painting.
