Painting of a Hawk (画鹰)

Blood and feathers on silk

This is an early work of Du Fu’s, done before the cataclysm of the An Lushan Rebellion. It seemed charming but slight the first time I read it. But once I started working on a musical setting, it revealed it’s depths. The hawk is all menace and power and Du Fu’s approach reminds me very much of Auden.

I had a lot of fun coming up with images for this video. Cover your head!