A HISTORY OF ORIENTAL

& EASTERN ART

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 INTRODUCTIO
N

● Oriental Art is a major branch of Art

Classification.

● Pieces commonly include:

o Painting
o Calligraphy
o Graphic Art
o Sculpture
o Pottery

● The Origins of Oriental Art include Religion,

Politics, Philosophy, Culture and Technology.

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 CHINESE ART

● Originated as early “stone art”

in around 10,000 BC -
comprising mainly Pottery and
Sculpture.

● Early works were based on

Chinese settlers’ Religious
and Supernatural beliefs.

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 CHINESE ART

● Early ar twork was used to depict people and

landscapes.

● They were commonly found as decorations

for human burial sites.

● Landscapes par ticularly rose to prominence

during the Five Dynasties between 907 AD
and 11 27 AD.

● To create minimalist brush strokes a thin

brush was used and dipped in coloured ink .

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 CHINESE ART

● More colour ful ar t was produced during

late imperial China between 1368 AD to
1911 AD

● Qing Dynasty saw rise of Or thodox school

with older styles of thin brush calligraphy
and Individualist painters with a more
revolutionar y approach.

● Communist Revolution of 1949 created

new era of Chinese Ar t

● Modern Chinese ar t includes new forms of

expression such as photography and video

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 CHINESE SCULPTURE

● Originates from the First Dynasty in

2,100 BC.

● Among the most renowned, best

preserved and largest examples of
these is the Terracotta Army; a
collection of figurines built for
Emperor Qin Shi Huang and buried
with him.

● They represented protection for him in

the afterlife.

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 CHINESE SCULPTURE

● This started an era of miniature

figures being sculpted to
accompany dead people in their
tombs.

● This classically dates back to the

Tang Dynasty between 618 AD
and 907 AD.

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 CHINESE POTTERY

● Pottery dates back Palaeolithic

era - pre-dating Dynasties

● Started being made on an

industrial scale when popularity
of and ease of construction
increased

● Rulers requested Pottery to be

used as Gifts and Trade

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 JAPANESE ART

● Similarly to Chinese Art, Japanese Art

dates back to around 10,000 BC.

● Captures a wide variety of styles such

as ink painting, pottery and sculpture.

● Japan has taken many foreign

influences to create its existing culture
and ideals.

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 JAPANESE ART

● Painting is a traditional Japanese

art form, originating from stick
figures to illustrate silk, pottery
and paper.

● Japan’s first civilization moulded

and painted pottery and clay
figures.

● Later settlers in around 350 BC

brought knowledge and Bronze
Manufacturing and Decoration.

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 JAPANESE ART

● The rise of Buddhism in the East in

the 7th and 8th centuries taught
Japan enhanced bronze -casting
methods

● Sculptures of Buddha were popular

around this time but phased out
because of opposition from
Buddhist temples and Japanese
nobility

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 JAPANESE ART

● Picture scrolls grew in popularity

after 1130 BC.

● These were pictorial stories

illustrating men and women.

● Kamakura was also a popular

period of Japanese art with
sculpture, calligraphy and painting
between 1180 and 1333 AD.

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 JAPANESE ART

● The Muromachi period between 1338 and

1573 saw ar t become more elitist and
aristocratic.

● Conser vative colour s were used - black and

white - and single colour s were common.

● Secular ar t began to dominate when China

and Japan star ted to drif t apar t.

● Af ter 1477 Japan lost interest in sculpture

which resulted in religion playing a less
significant role.

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 JAPANESE ART

● Western culture and artistic values had

imprinted on Japanese culture by the
start of the 20th century.

● A dichotomy was created between these

new western styles and a desire to
revert back to traditional conservative
art forms.

● Japanese Anime was born after World

War II alongside American comic books
and cartoons

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 KOREAN ART

● 676 AD saw Korea become completely

independent of China and led to a
boom in Korean Art.

● Despite this, art of Korea has been

heavily influenced by Chinese Art and
vice versa; strengthening and widening
respective artistic styles.

● Buddhism played a key role in artistic

themes.

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 KOREAN ART

● Some of the best Buddhist ar t is

under stood to have been produced
between 676 and 935 AD during the
Unified Silla period.

● The Joseon Dynasty in 1392 began a

cultural renaissance in Korea - introducing
Neo-Confucianism which featured secular
ar t and culture.

● The 15th and 16th centuries saw classical

ar t reintroduced.

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 KOREAN ART

● Painting styles in this era included

landscapes with nostalgic places and
mountain scenes with clouds and trees.

● Ink was used commonly to highlight the

contrast between light and dark; as well
as ceramics, stoneware and porcelain.

● Painting was the most popular ar t form in

the 20th centur y - par ticularly abstract
painting from the 1930s onwards

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 KOREAN ART

Korean monochrome paintings grew in

popularity in the 1970s and 1980s
which challenged pre-conceived ideas
about ink and oil painting.

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 THE MODERN EAST ASIAN ART
MARKET

● Chinese Art is one of the biggest sellers

on the international scene.

● Paintings, Pottery and Sculptures fetch

high prices among collectors, with
Chinese buyers increasing in number.

● This means that more East Asian Art is

being sold at auction to private buyers;
reflecting the rise of middle-class Asia
and a desire to be more like the West.

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 MALLAMS AUCTIONEERS

For more information about upcoming Oriental &

Eastern Art Sales take a look at our calendar.

You can also contact us online or call us:

o Oxford - 01865 241358

o Abingdon - 01235 462840
o Cheltenham - 01242 235712

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