Landscape of the soul Class 11 summary in English

Summary of Landscape to Soul

Landscape to Soul summary will help you learn about this chapter in a very simple
and easy manner. This chapter comprises of two parts and Nathalie Trouveroy is the
author. The author has taken the first part from the ‘Landscape of the Soul: Ethics
and Spirituality in Chinese Painting’ whereas the second part has been derived from
“Getting Inside ‘Outsider Art’.” Getting Inside is an article that was published in the
Hindustan Times in 2005. It is written by Brinda Suri.  The main theme of the
chapter is about arts. It revolves around the art of painting told through the help of
various stories. We learn about Chinese painters and their works as well as the story
behind them. Similarly, the second part explores the concept of ‘art brut’ meaning the
art of the ones who have no right. Thus, we learn a great deal about art and its
history.

Landscape to Soul Summary in English

This chapter divides into two parts, each telling us about art and its history through
various stories. In the part taken from ‘Landscape of the Soul: Ethics and Spirituality
in Chinese Painting’, we learn about the art of painting through two stories. The first
one is about a very popular Chinese painter, Wu Daozi. It is about the eighth century
when he was hired by the Tang Emperor Xuanzong to adorn a wall of the palace.

Wu painted beautiful scenery with mountains, waterfalls, forests as well as clouds

and blue skies with people living harmoniously in a happy environment. However, he
painted a cave at the foot of a mountain that was inhabited by a spirit. When the
painter was showing his work to the emperor, he claps his hands and an entrance to
the cave opens where he gets in and vanishes.

Thus, after disappearing, the author says that denotes the knowledge of the mystical
inner world. Thus, it says that only the masters are aware of the way within and can
go yonder any material form. Similarly, there is another story about another popular
Chinese painter who did not draw a dragon’s eye fearing it would become real and
fly out of his painting.
Next, we have the third one about a master blacksmith, Quinten Metsys, who falls in
love with the daughter of a painter. As the father was not accepting of his son-in-law
belonging to such a profession, he still did so. He accepted Quinten because he
painted a fly on his board. It had such gentle realism that it resembled a real one.
Further, the author also talks about Chinese philosophy, Shanshui, meaning mountain
water.

Finally, the second part of ‘Getting Inside ‘Outsider Art’ by Brinda Suri talks about
the concept of ‘art brut’. Art Brut translates to the art of the ones who have ‘no right’
to be artists. It is because they lack any formal training yet somehow possess artistic
talent and insight. She refers to them as the ones who think outside the box and defy
the normal standards. People refer to their work as ‘unorthodox’ art. She cites the
example of Nek Chand’s work at Rock Garden in Chandigarh is a form of art brut.

Conclusion of Landscape to Soul

To sum up, Landscape to Soul summary, we learn that art is an infinite form which
has a rich history and it cannot fit inside any certain box or label, it has a life of its
own

Summary in hindi
कहानी पश्चिमी और पूर्वी दे शों में कलाकारों की सुं दरता और इच्छाओं की अलग-अलग भावना को उजागर करती है । जबकि
पश्चिमी आं ख सटीक रूप से जीवन को शारीरिक रूप से दे खने के लिए तरसती है , पूर्व में कलाकार शिल्प के साथ एक सक्रिय
और भावनात्मक जु ड़ाव अधिक पसं द करते हैं ।

वे चाहते हैं कि दर्शक काम में अपना रास्ता खोजें और कलाकृति की प्रशं सा और विश्ले षण करने के लिए विभिन्न दृष्टिकोण
खोजें । उनके लिए, यह मूल चीज़ की एक मात्र कार्बन कॉपी से अधिक मं तर् है और इसमें कल्पना, विश्वास और भावनात्मक
गहराई की अधिक शक्तियां शामिल हैं ।

वे अपने काम में आध्यात्मिकता की गहरी भावना पै दा करते हैं जो इसे जितना दिखता है उससे अधिक वास्तविक बनाता है ।
ले खक ने अपनी बात को साबित करने के लिए तीन कहानियों का उल्ले ख किया है : दो चीनी लोककथाओं से और एक बे ल्जियम
से ।

कहानी 1 (Landscape of the soul story 1 in hindi)

पहली कहानी सम्राट के शासन में वू डाओजी नामक एक मध्यकालीन चीनी कलाकार के बारे में है । वह रीजें ट द्वारा अपने निवास
की दीवारों को पें ट करने के लिए कहा गया था।

उन्होंने पहाड़ों, नदी, बादलों, वन्य जीवन, लोगों आदि की एक सुं दर मध्यरे खा को चित्रित किया। शानदार काम के लिए पहाड़ों
की तलहटी में एक गु फा चित्रित थी। वू ने गु फा के पास एक बार अपने हाथों से ताली बजाई और यह जीवित हो गया।

इसने एक नई दुनिया के लिए एक पोर्टल खोला। वू ने गु फा में प्रवे श किया और इससे पहले कि कोई और प्रतिक्रिया दे पाता
चित्र पतली हवा में गायब हो गया। वू इसके साथ ही गायब हो गया। कहानी एक चीनी किंवदं ती बन गई और कन्फ्यूशियस
जै से ले खकों और दार्शनिक से एक समृ द्ध विद्या का हिस्सा बन गई।
कहानी 2 (Landscape of the soul story 2 in hindi)

ू री कहानी एक चित्रकार के बारे में बताती है जो रहस्यों और कला के आध्यात्मिक जाद ू में विश्वास करता था। उसने एक
दस
शानदार अजगर चित्रित किया था। हालाँ कि, उन्होंने उसकी आँ खें बनाने से मन कर दिया क्योंकि उसे दर था की यु अदी उसने
आँ खें खोली तो वह जीवं त हो जाएगा।

उनकी कला में उनके विश्वास की शक्ति और सामर्थ्य इस प्रकार थी कि वे अपनी कला को जीवं त बनाने और आग में झुलसने
वाले अजगर के शिकार होने की सं भावना से भयभीत थे ।

कहानी 3 (Landscape of the soul story 3 in hindi)

अब, हम मध्ययु गीन यूरोप और विशे ष रूप से एं टवर्प, बे ल्जियम में तीसरी और अं तिम कहानी पर आते हैं । एक बार क्वें टिन नाम
का एक लोहार था, जिसे एक साथी ट् रेडमै न की बे टी जोकि एक पें टर थी, से प्यार था।

दो कौशलों और पे शों के बीच के सामाजिक अं तर ने इस सं भावना को कम कर दिया कि चित्रकार कभी भी उनसे एक साथ
विवाह कर सकता है । शादी में अपने प्रिय हाथ कमाने के लिए, लोहार ने चित्रकार के पै नल पर एक मक्खी बनाने का फैसला
किया।

यह बिलकुल जीवं त लग रहा था और चित्रकार बे वकू फ बन गया और इसे जीवित कीट मानकर उड़ाने की कोशिश करने लगा।
क्वें टिन के कौशल, सं कल्प और सरलता से वह आश्वस्त हो गया और अपनी बे टी की उससे शादी करा दी। अपने सच्चे प्यार को
पाकर, क्वें टिन अपनी उम्र के सबसे महान चित्रकारों में से एक बन गया।

कहानियों से कलाकारों के उद्दे श्य में निहित अं तर का पता चलता है । चीनी कलाकार अपने काम में गहरा अर्थ और भावना रखते
हैं जबकि यूरोपीय लोग बाहरी दिखावे और जीवन जै सी समानता के बारे में चिं तित हैं ।

ले खक फिर शां शुई ’की चीनी अवधारणा के बारे में बात करता है जिसका अर्थ है पहाड़-नदी। वह ’यां ग’ (वर्टिकल माउंटेन जो
मर्दाना, गर्म और कठोर है ) और यिन ’(क्षै तिज नदी जो स्त्री, तरल और नम है ) की अवधारणाओं के बारे में सूचित करती है ।

दो आयामों / ऊर्जाओं को वै क्यूम या खालीपन (सफेद स्थान द्वारा दर्शाया गया) द्वारा अलग किया जाता है जहां दो ऊर्जाएं
टकराती हैं और विलीन हो जाती हैं । यह वह जगह है जहां कलाकार की कल्पना निहित है और वह अपने काम के माध्यम से
सं चार की आं ख बन जाता है ।

अं त में , पाठ उन कलाकारों के बारे में भी बात करता है जिन्हें प्राकृतिक रूप में उपहार मिला है और वे औपचारिक प्रशिक्षण और
सबक प्राप्त नहीं करते हैं । कलाकार सहज होते हैं और उन अपरं परागत तकनीकों का उपयोग कर सकते हैं जो तै यार किए गए
कलाकार नहीं कर सकते ।

ने क चं द द्वारा विकसित चं डीगढ़ में रॉक गार्डन का उल्ले ख करते हुए ले खक ने इसे टाइप किया। वह एक अपरं परागत जीनियस
भी थे जिनके पास अपने समकालीनों और पूर्ववर्तियों से ऊपर और आगे सोचने की दृष्टि थी।

Understanding The Text

Question 1.
(i) Contrast the Chinese view of art with the European view with examples.
Answer:
The Chinese view of art is trying to achieve the essence of inner life and spirit. Wu Daozi’s
painting was an example of this.
The European view of art is to create illusionistic likeness. Quinten Metsys’ painting of the
fly was an example of this.
(ii) Explain the concept of Shanshui.
Answer:
Shanshui literally means ‘mountain-water’, which when used together represent the word
‘landscape’. It reflects the Daoist view of the universe, which includes more than two
elements of an image – Yang, the mountain, Yin, the water and the third element -.the
Middle Void, where the two interact.

Question 2.
(i) What do you understand by the terms ‘outsider art’ and ‘art brut’ or ‘raw art’?
Answer:
‘Outsider art’ is the art created by artists who have received no formal training, yet they
show talent and artistic insight. ‘Art brut’ or ‘raw art’ is about works of art that were in their
raw state with regard to their cultural and artistic influence. Anything like a broken teacup or
bangle could be material for a work of art.

(ii) Who was the “untutored genius who

created a paradise” and what is the nature of his contribution to art?
Answer:
Nek Chand, belonging to Chandigarh, was the untutored genius who created a paradise
many years ago by building the ‘Rock Garden’ there using stones, broken crockery and
recycled material. Nek Chand’s contribution is a highly creative example of ‘raw art’.

Landscape Of The Soul Talking About The Text

Discuss the following statements in groups of four.

Question 1.
“The Emperor may rule over the territory he has conquered, but only the artist knows the
way within.”
Answer:
This sentence explains the fact that even though an Emperor might rule an entire kingdom
and have power over his conquered territory, only an artist would be able to go beyond any
material appearance. He knows both the path and the method of the mysterious work of the
universe. True meaning of his work can be seen only by means known to him, irrespective
of how powerful an emperor is.

Question 2.
“The landscape is an inner one, a spiritual and conceptual space.”
Answer:
This phrase explains The Chinese art from where a Chinese painter wants you to enter his
mind rather than borrow his eyes. This is a physical as well as a mental participation. It is a
landscape created by the artist to travel up and down, and back again, through the viewer’s
eyes. The landscape is not real’ and can be reached from any point.

Landscape Of The Soul Thinking About Language

Question 1.
Find out the correlates of Yin and Yangin other cultures.
Answer:
The Indian culture lays stress on Nature and God. Nature is the ‘yen’ or female part
whereas God the creator, is the male part. This concept also known as ‘Maya’ or Brahma’
The combination of creates the whole world, all it objects and also inhabitants.

Question 2.
What is the language spoken in Flanders?
Answer:
Three languages are spoken in different areas of Flanders (modern Belgium): Dutch,
French and German.

Landscape Of The Soul Working With Words

The following common words are used in more than one sense.

panel studio brush essence material

Examine the following sets of sentences to find out what the words, ‘panel’ and ‘essence’
mean in different contexts.
A. (i) The masks from Bawa village in Mali look like long panels of decorated wood,
(ii) Judge H Hobart Grooms told the jury panel he had heard the reports.
(iii) The panel is laying the groundwork for an international treaty.
(iv) The glass panels of the window were broken.
(v) Through the many round tables, workshops and panel discussions, a consensus was
reached.
(vi) The sink in the hinged panel above the bunk drains into the head.
Answer:
The meanings are (i) flat boards, (ii) group of men selected to give unanimous verdict on a
legal case, (iii) small group of people made to decide some matter, (iv) sections, (v) group
and (vi) section.
B. (i) Their repetitive structure must have taught the people around the great composer the
essence of music.
(ii) Part of the answer is in the proposition; but the essence is in the meaning.
(iii) The implications of these schools of thought are of practical essence for the teacher.
(iv) They had added vanilla essence to the pudding.
Answer:
The meanings are (i) basic character and qualities, (ii) essential part, (iii) importance and
(iv) extract from a plant or other substance used for flavouring.

II. Now find five sentences each for the rest of the words to show the different senses in
which each of them is used.
Answer:
1. Studio
(i) The artist is working in his studio at home.
(ii) The photographer’s studio was full of his own photographs only.
(iii) Kavita is learning classical dancing at the dance studio in Dwarka.
(iv) All the actors in the scene must report in the film studio for shooting at 9 AM tomorrow.
(v) James lives in a studio apartment in Mumbai.

2. Brush
(i) We should brush our teeth twice a day.
(ii) Malvika is brushing a pink shade on her painting to complete it.
(iii) A brush with death on the road is common for pedestrians in Delhi.
(iv) Squirrel’s brushes are used by expert painters for painting specific areas of a painting.
(v) In an electric motor, graphite brushes are used to connect its coil with the electric supply.

3. Material
(i) Most persons today want only material pleasure.
(ii) Raw material for constructing earthquake proof buildings is very expensive.
(iii) Our winter trip to experience the snow in Shimla never materialised.
(iv) The selection committee members felt that Sunil was Test Match material; so they
selected him.
(v) Comedy was an important material used by Shakespeare in many of his plays.

Landscape Of The Soul Noticing Form

 A classical Chinese landscape is not meant to reproduce an actual view, as would a

Western figurative painting.
 Whereas the European painter wants you to borrow his eyes and look at a particular
landscape exactly as he saw it, from a specific angle, the Chinese painter does not
choose a single viewpoint.

The above two examples are ways in which contrast may be expressed. Combine the
following sets of ideas to show the contrast between them.

Question 1.
(i) European art tries to achieve a perfect, illusionistic likeness.
(ii) Asian art tries to capture the essence of inner life and spirit.
Answer:
While European art tries to achieve a perfect illusionistic likeness, Asian art tries to capture
the essence of inner life and spirit.

Question 2.
(i) The Emperor commissions a painting and appreciates its outer appearance.
(ii) The artist reveals to him the true meaning of his work.
Answer:
Even though the Emperor commissions a painting and appreciates its outer appearance, it
is the artist who reveals to him the true meaning of his work.
Question 3.
(i) The Emperor may rule over the territory he has conquered.
(ii) The artist knows the way within.
Answer:
Even though the Emperor rules over the territory he has conquered, it is the artist who
knows the way within.

Landscape Of The Soul Things To Do

Question 1.
Find out about as many Indian schools of painting as you can. Write a short note on the
distinctive features of each school.
Answer:

Question 2.
Find out about experiments in recycling that help in environmental conservation.
Answer:

Landscape Of The Soul Short Questions and Answers (2 Marks)

Question 1.
What was depicted in the last painting made by Wu Daozi, the Chinese painter?
Answer:
The last painting made by Wu Daozi depicted forests, high mountains, waterfalls, clouds
floating in an immense sky, men on hilly paths, birds in flight and a cave at the foot of a
mountain in which a supernatural being resided.

Question 2.
When Wu Daozi showed ‘the way’ to the Chinese Emperor, what happened?
Answer:
When Wu Daozi said to the Emperor, “Please let me show Your Majesty the way”, the
painter entered the cave and its entrance closed behind him. Before the surprised Emperor
could move or say anything, the painting had vanished from the wall. Even the painter’s
brush had disappeared.

Question 3.
What do the books about Confucius and Zhuangzi contain and what do they help in doing?
Answer:
The books about Confucius and Zhuangzi contain many anecdotes that deeply reveal the
spirit in which art was considered in their days. These anecdotes helped the masters to
guide their disciples in the right direction.

Question 4.
What is the anecdote about a dragon’s eye mentioned in Chinese literature?
Answer:
The anecdote about a dragon’s eye mentioned in Chinese literature says that a painter who
had painted the image of a dragon did not want to complete it by drawing the dragon’s eye.
The reason was that the dragon would be able to fly out of the painting and may be able to
attack the poet.

Question 5.
Why did the Flemish painter accept Quinten Metsys as a son-in-law?
Answer:
Earlier Quinten Metsys was a blacksmith, which was not considered as a respectable
profession. However, when Quinten showed his talent in painting by drawing a very realistic
looking fly on the panel on which the artist was painting, Quinten was enrolled as the artist’s
apprentice and later accepted as a son-in-law.

Question 6.
What do the stories, one about China and the other about Flanders, illustrate?
Answer:
These two stories, one about China and the other about Flanders, illustrate what each of
these forms of art is trying to achieve. The Flanders form illustrates a perfect, illusionistic
likeness, while the Chinese form illustrates the essence of inner life and spirit.

Question 7.
What was the difference between the Chinese Emperor and the artist in the anecdote?
Answer:
The difference between the Chinese emperor and the artist was that while the Emperor
commissioned a painting and appreciated its outer appearance, the artist revealed to him
the true meaning of his work. The Emperor may rule over the territory he has conquered,
but only the artist knows the way within.

Question 8.
What does a European painter want from the viewer?
Answer:
A European painter wants the viewer to borrow his eyes and look at a particular landscape
exactly as he saw it, from a specific angle. His painting is very much realistic and he
expects the viewer to understand it by just looking at it.

Question 9.
What does a Chinese painter want from the viewer?
Answer:
A Chinese painter does not want the viewer to choose a single viewpoint. His landscape is
not a ‘real’ one, and you can enter it from any point and then travel in it. The artist creates a
path for the viewer’s eyes to travel up and down, then back again, in a leisurely movement.

Question 10.
How does a horizontal scroll add a dimension of time to a painting?
Answer:
In the case of a horizontal scroll, the action of slowly opening one section of the painting,
then rolling it up to move on to the other sections one by one adds a dimension of time to a
painting.

Question 11.
How is the Chinese painter’s painting a depiction of conceptual space?
Answer:
The Chinese painter does not want you to borrow his eyes just to view the painting; he
wants you to enter his mind because the landscape is an inner one, a depiction of spiritual
and conceptual space.

Question 12.
What are the two complementary poles in Shanshui?
Answer:
The two complementary poles in Shanshui are reflecting the Daoist view of the universe.
One pole is the mountain, known as Yang (meaning reaching vertically towards Heaven)
which signifies stability, warmth and dryness, while the other pole is the water, known as
Yin (meaning horizontal and resting on the earth) which signifies fluidity, moistness and
coolness.

Question 13.
What is the fundamental notion of Daoism?
Answer:
The fundamental notion of Daoism is that this universe is composed of two complementary
poles, viz. Yin (feminine) and Yang (masculine). The interaction of these two energies, Yin,
the receptive, and its counterpart Yang, the active, makes the universe.

Question 14.
What is the ‘Middle Void’?
Answer:
The Middle Void is the blank space where the two complementary elements, Yang and Yin,
meet. This is usually overlooked, but a viewer must actively participate in the painting.
Without this Middle Void, the viewer can’t take an active part in the painting and it will be
just like a European painting.

Question 15.
What is pranayama! During which stage of pranayama does meditation take place?
Answer:
Pranayama is ‘conscious awareness of breath’, which is a part of yogic exercises. It
consists of three parts: breathe in, suspend the breath, and breathe out. Meditation occurs
during the suspension of breath during the middle part.

Question 16.
How does man act as a conduit of communication?
Answer:
Man acts as a conduit of communication between both poles of the universe, heaven and
earth, because his presence is essential, even if it’s only suggested, to bridge the gap
between them.

Landscape Of The Soul Long Questions and Answers (

Question 1.
Briefly recount what happened to the painter Wu Daozi in the chapter ‘Landscape of the
Soul’.
Answer:
The eighth century Chinese painter Wu Daozi was commissioned by the Tang Emperor
Xuanzong to paint a landscape painting to decorate a palace wall. The master painter had
hidden the painting behind a screen so that only the Emperor could see it when desired. For
quite some time, the Emperor admired the landscape containing forests, high mountains,
waterfalls, clouds floating in an immense sky, men on hilly paths and flying birds. Then the
painter pointed out a cave painted by him at the foot of the mountain and told the Emperor
that a spirit lived in that cave. When the painter clapped his hands, the entrance to the cave
opened. Then the painter explained that the inside of the cave was really worth seeing and
offered to show the way to enter the cave. But, as soon as Wu Daozi entered the cave, the
entrance closed behind him. Before the surprised Emperor could move or say anything, the
landscape painting vanished from the wall. Not even the painter’s brush remained. In fact,
Wu Daozi was never seen again. The landscape had been his last painting.

Question 2.
How was Quinten Metsys able to marry the painter’s daughter?
Answer:
Quinten Metsys, a master blacksmith in fifteenth century Antwerp, fell in love with a
painter’s daughter. Quinten realised that his profession
was not considered respectable and thus, the painter would never allow Quinten to marry
his daughter. Thus, he had to impress the painter with his creative talent first.

As Quinten possessed determination to achieve his desired goal, he entered the painter’s
studio secretly when the painter was not there and painted a very realistic-looking fly on the
painter’s latest panel. Later on, when the painter entered his studio and saw the fly, he tried
to swat it before he realised that it was not a real fly. On finding out who had painted the fly
with such delicate realism, he asked Quinten to become his apprentice, as the painter
realised that Quinten possessed artistic talent. Thus, Quinten was able to marry the
painter’s daughter and go on to become one of the most famous painters of his age.

Question 3.
Explain the concept of Shanshui painting.
Answer:
Shanshui painting is not a normal kind of painting. First of all, when Chinese painters work
on a Shanshui painting, they do not try to present an image of what they have seen in
nature, but what they have thought about nature. Shanshui painting does not use colour,
light and shadow, or personal brush work with conventional paints. Instead, Shanshui
painting uses a brush and ink. Mountains, rivers and also waterfalls are prominent in this art
form.
In Shanshui painting, the two elements of an image represent two complementary poles,
just like the Daoist view of the universe. The mountain is Yang, meaning it is active and
masculine. It is stable, warm, and dry in the sun. The other pole is water or Yin, meaning it
is horizontal, resting on the earth, fluid, moist and cool. The interaction of Yin, the receptive,
feminine aspect of universal energy and its counterpart Yang is a fundamental notion of
Daoism. The essential element in the Middle Void where Yin and Yang interact is man, as
he becomes the conduit of communication between both the complementary poles.