Art in the Chinese Painting

Introduction

Materials of Chinese Painting

Characteristics of Chinese Painting
 Chinese Painting Water
container
Ink Stick
Traditionally, Chinese
painting is done on rice
paper or thin silk, using
various brushes,
Chinese ink and pigment. Ink stone

Chinese Seal
On Paper On Silk
 Chinese Painting
Chinese painting has a rich history as enduring art
form.

Calligraphy and Painting

both were used by the
same brush techniques
and the same way to
present the artist’s inner
spirit and attitude of art.
The way to hold a brush
Formats of Painting

Chinese painting formats:

a. Handscroll;
b. Hanging scroll;
c. Album leaf;
d. Fan.
 Formats of Painting

Scroll: Portable
Format

Hanging Scroll-
Reveal image by image vertical installation
* for a large audience

* for an intimated audience

Tang Dynasty(618-907): the Cultural Center of an International Age

Silk Road

the eastern
terminus of Capital: Chang’an
Tang’s
the Silk
Road

“ Golden Age” of foreign relations with other countries: The Tang became a
great empire, the most powerful and influential of its time any place in the
world. The capital of Chang’an (modern Xi’an) was global hubs of trade
as well as of religious, scholarly, and artistic life.
This dynamic, affluent, liberal, and diverse environment produced prosperous
culture and splendid achievements.
** The Prosperity of Religious Culture and Art : Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, ..
 Court Art Prosperity

Court artists were professional and academic

painters with their brilliant skills. They depended
on permanent employment as painters or on
selling their paintings to live.

Theme, Subject Matters: Confucius teaching

Portrait of Emperors, Court ladies, Historical
record, etc.

Patron: Empires and high aristocratic familes

Court Artist’s technique: “Gongbi” is a careful, well

represented technique in Chinese traditional painting.
Attributed to Gu Kaizhi (c. 344-406)
Admonitions of the Instructress to the Court Ladies,
handscroll, ink and color on silk, 24.8 x 348.2cm,
probably a Tang or Song dynasty copy, British Museum.
Admonitions of the Instructress to the Court Ladies illustrates a
political parody written by Zhang Hua (ca.232–300) to criticize the
excessive behavior of an empress.

There are nine scenes depicted on this scroll.

a series of individual scenes + Confucian texts
* exemplify good character, virtue, and morals especially
feminine etiquette.
Scene 7: The toilette scene

“All people know how to ornament their appearance, but

none know how to ornament their nature.”
 Attributed to Gu Kaizhi (344-406) , Nymph of the Luo River ,
(Northern Song copy), hand scroll, ink and color on silk, 10
inches x12 feet (24 cm x 310 cm) Freer Gallery of Art,
Washington D.C

This painting tells the story originally created by Cao Zhi ‘s peom, the Nymph
of the Luo River, composed in 222 CE, during the Han Dynasty. It shows the
early East Asian narrative painting.
Nature, Imaginal figures, Human: The Influence of
extraordinary vision of the
e Luo River

 a dragon, and two flying

geese.

e nymph is seated on a Phoenix,

hose body forms a crescent behind
r.
 Attributed to Yan Liben (600-673 ), The Thirteen Emperors,
Hand Scroll, detail. Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou, Boston MFA
Yan Liben is a Chinese painter and government official of the early Tang Dynasty.
the Thirteen Emperors Scroll :The emperors are
arranged generally chronologically from right to left except
the 7th, 8th and 9th emperors.
Attributed to Zhou Fang (730-800)
Ladies with Flowers in their Hair. Late 8th-early 9th century
(10th century copy).
Ink and color on silk, 18 x 69". Liaoning Museum

“beautiful women painting” enjoyed high popularity and

reached significant achievement in the Tang dynasty (618-907).
Born into an aristocratic family in Chang’an , Zhou Fang is a
well-known Tang court artist who painted in this genre.

.
Femininity: “moth eyebrows”, tall
coiffures, heavily powdered white
faces with tiny lips.
Figure of a Seated Court Lady,
Tang dynasty (618–907)
Earthenware with tri-color glaze.
Dimensions: H. 14 3/4 in.