Paintings
Chinese painting is one of the earliest traditions that has survived to the present day.
Various types of art, such as jade, pottery, and bronze castings, as well as painting,
poetry, calligraphy, sculpture, and architecture, have a recurring subjects throughout
China. Taoism and Confucianism are ancient Chinese ideologies that have been heavily
impacted by Chinese art.
When it comes to Chinese paintings, they primarily depict styles and ethnicities in
various character, bird, blossom, and landscape painting subjects. In addition, unlike
Western paintings, Chinese paintings are linked with liquid techniques rather than oils or
acrylics. The three facts you didn’t know about Chinese are highlighted below.
Wash Painting and Chinese Ink
The majority of Chinese artworks in prominent collectors’ collections, such as John
Dodelande ‘s, illustrate that ink and brush painting surrounds the history, traditions, art,
and style. Wei We invented ink and wash painting during the Tang Dynasty. This kind of
painting called for the use of pure ink and equipment similar to those used in Chinese
calligraphy.
Its subtle gradation, notably in the use of grayish, white, black, and brushwork variations,
helped it gain popularity. The Chinese artists depended significantly on four topics while
adopting this painting method: orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum, and plum blossom. The
four plants reflect the four seasons as well as the Taoist philosophy. Taoism’s ideology
emphasizes harmony with nature.
Tang Landscape Paintings
The landscape is one of the most well-known forms of Chinese art. It originated during
the Tang period, and people began to recognize landscape painting norms in the eighth
century. Later, the notion exceeded the quaint naturalism of the Occident.
The term landscape was employed by Chinese painters to describe mountains and
water. They eventually enhanced the themes, though, by incorporating floating seas,
quiet waterways, and towering mountains. Furthermore, Taoist counselors who
emphasized the importance of secret quiet and spiritual identification led the painters to
include spirituality and sentiments in their water and mountain scene paintings.
Colors in Chinese Painting
When depicting Chinese landscapes, artists seldom insisted on using color. Instead, they
used the fading wash as a background in colorless paintings. It is crucial to note,
however, that the variation utilized by the painters in Chinese ink was never regarded as
a sort of modulation from a Western intellectual standpoint. Buddhist hanging pictures
and braided silk in its formal lobes are two examples of rich use of color.
The Chinese mural paintings reached a previously unheard-of degree of excellence.
Kuan-Yin, a 1551 Ming picture, demonstrates how the linear interaction, originality of
Chinese art design with specific hues, and frequent letter changes were utilized.
Chinese paintings have a distinct presentation that distinguishes them from Western
paintings. We have merely emphasized a few of the distinctive characteristics of Chinese
art. Another thing that this form of art has in common is the relationship between painting
and calligraphy. Follow well-known Chinese art collectors such as John Dodelande to
learn further about Chinese artworks.
