Literati Painting and Chinese Painting - Coursework Example

Insert the name of institution here Insert course name here Insert course code here Insert your name here Date of submission here Table of Contents 1.0.Introduction 3 2.0.Main Features of Literati Painting 4 2.1. Literati Painting and Chinese Painting 4 2.2.Song Dynasty and Literati Painting 4 2.3.Culture of Literati Painting 6 2.4.Literati as a realistic approach 7 2.5.Decoration 7 2.6.Served semiotic function 9 3.0.Conclusion 10 4.0.Appendices 12 1.0. Introduction In general, Chinese painting can be considered as artistically bamboo but independent from artisan ideologies and styles that have been emphasizing amateurism as well as the role of colophons or inscriptions. According to the theory of literati painting, the literatus using bamboo, painted as he was writing gave the artwork unique features. The usage of bamboo and the term literati with regard to literati paintings have been interpreted differently. Contrariwise, artists such as Tang Yin has helped not in the conceptualization of the main features of literati painting but deeper understanding of how bamboo painting was adopted to reflect certain features that were considered traditional or philosophical ideologies. Critical assessment of Chinese painting with regard to personal experience shows that the paintings as created using bamboo has been the outlet of developing contemporary Chinese painting. Based on these understandings, the essay uses experience of bamboo painting to critically analyse the main features of literati painting. These features will be embedded on theoretical frameworks to provide understanding on factors that motivated the artists. Additionally, these features will be represented in the table to help in the chronological account of the paintings as they are believed to have been shaped by traditional philosophical beliefs. 2.0. Main Features of Literati Painting 2.1. Literati Painting and Chinese Painting One critical feature of literati painting is the reflection in has for Chinese painting and culture. Looking at a number of bamboo paintings, there has been clear misunderstanding from scholars such as Wetzel (1996). Basically, Literati paintings are not equal to Chinese. On the other hand, Chinese painting does not equal Literati painting. To conceptualise this understanding, Chinese painting signifies a number of paintings that if looked at critically, possess a unique characteristics that have had influence from Chinese unique culture and history regardless of the perspective, culturally, or literally. On the hand, Literati painting can be categorized as part in the long history of what constituted Chinese painting as well as brilliant system of painting. Looking at image 1 as attached below, this is a good example of literati painting signifying bamboo painting. From the image, Literati painting are characterized by traditional Chinese culture thus depicting cultural concepts that relates to people, geographical ideas and economic ways of life as earlier had by traditional aesthetical thinking and belief. 2.2. Song Dynasty and Literati Painting Another feature of Literati Painting is that its history traces back to the Song dynasty.1 The first art work that comprehensively used bamboo was those of Gu kaishi and Wu Daozi. These artists were linked to aspects of Literati painting and as a result, features of such painting have been associated with landscape, birds, flowers and animals which artists derived from previous paintings pictures and earlier philosophical thinkings. Theoretically, it suggests Su Si’s theory that elaborated fundamental issues of Chinese literati aspect of art and thus coming up with the so-called “old trees, bamboo, and rock.” A further understanding how Literati painting can be attributed to Song Dynasty is to consider works of scholars such as Xingfu scroll. Pictures of such paintings are an indication of rocks and bamboo that are depicted uniquely and differently. Landscape, birds, flowers and animals also shown in the paintings by Xingfu scroll apparently suggests the legends of the two friends Su Shi and Wen Tong’s sadness after the death of Wen. Additionally, the image 2 as attached is a representation of the literati paintings that manages to bring the aspect of cultural atmosphere that was basically free; signifying personal experience. Hsü (2001) describes that this was the true reflection of literati paintings as it originated from Song Dynasty or traditional thinkings. Put differently, bamboo painting as used during period summed up literati paintings that allowed people to express their feelings and opinions freely. Conclusively, paintings during this period were self-expression. 2.3. Culture of Literati Painting The bamboo painting as used during this period compared differently with modern commercial or academic painters and the emphasis or point of difference is the culture. That is, bamboo painting as used during the period categorized as literati painting, did not stick to the rules witnessed with the academic painters but they were chasing for pleasures or gorgeous creations. Looking at image 2, the painting is a bamboo work that marked the literati painting period that gave a dynamic blood to the culture indeed during the period. Just like Farrer et al. (1992) note, literati painter though good in using bamboo, were not professional painter but attempted to follow the traditional aesthetics that were passed to them. By culture, most of paints during this period stressed more on free natural as well as unrestrained feeling. The image 2 shows that in as much these painters were not professional, they were good at bamboo and ink technique on art which makes image 2 below a representation of literati period symbolizing abstract quality. Fong (2003) has described this feature as ‘undoubtedly a positive development using bamboo and ink’ (p. 106) It has to be noted that most of works of bamboo painting as can be seen in works such as those of Chen Shizeng was not a representative of the culture of Chinese. Basically, these were art works that were fragile and sometimes attracted negative thoughts. Looking at the figure 1 as attached, it is a challenge for literati painting to carry the burden of culture just like it was difficult for Boucher and Rocco art carried the French spirit. 2.4. Literati as a realistic approach Other features of literati painting can be traced from the observations made by Liu Xiaochun (Dal Lago 1998). In his observation, one critical feature of the literati is that the art was merely a backlash against the realistic approach. This is to mean that most bamboo paintings that represented the literati painting tended to differ from abstract ink painting that were witnessed before. The image 3 as illustrated is an indication of a culture that was a reevaluation of traditional culture. This is an example of an art that emphasized the traditional realism besides serving as complimentary. On the other hand, image 3 is an indication of literati as an advanced version of ink painting. In as much as the figure can be seen as a contradiction between reality of culture in China and intellectual piece of art, Lang adds that the best way to describe the culture of literati painting is its ability of the bamboo painting as used to return the art to the tradition. This is exactly what is depicted in the figure 3 but again there is tendency of the figure creating innovation for contemporary art. 2.5. Decoration Decoration as one features that can distinguish literati painting has to be understood in the broadest sense. The paintings during the period encompassed temple murals as well as domestic scenes together with large-scale palace finery---an aspect that were not found with bamboo painting in any other culture. Image 4 below shows such features. It has to be noted that Chinese historian painters who can be associated with bamboo painting had not had good remembering that when a wall for instance had to be covered or creation given in form of a screen, then the Chinese in every time in history had decorative pictorial alternative functions.2 These are expressions that have further enhanced and shaped the development of literati paintings. In other words, the linkage this feature has with development of literati paintings is that woodwork, textiles and bamboo work were later considered in the literati paintings as decorative arts. As a matter of fact, image 3 below is an indication of how fine art of painting flourished in the Chinese culture as a result of pictorial decoration. The image further shows intermingling of natural patterns decorated to suit a given feature of literati paintings. One of the traditional philosophy and aesthetic thoughts that was associated with painters such as Shen Zhou was bamboo fencing or vibrating leaves. What Shen Zhou attempted to borrow from traditional thoughts is to have painting as tangible objects that can inscribe individual’s character, feelings and thoughts. 2.6. Served semiotic function One feature that can be associated with literati painting is the purpose to which the paintings were created. Most of the art works during the period were intended to communicate a certain message to the audience during life and after the death of the artists. Relating this feature with the traditional philosophies that existed in the Chinese culture, at the most general level the communicative functions of the painters in ancient China was to ensure that a certain message is passed to the generation. From the onset, the artists, before the literati paintings sought to shape social, economic, religious and personal ideas thus functioning semiotically. This is exactly what shaped paintings in the literati culture. In as much as different paintings could exhibit different messages, most of the paintings during the period intended to convey a given message to the audience. Image 3 for instance depicts literati culture over the two-thousand year dominance or tradition of elite literati people. Most of paintings during these periods communicated certain messages to aristocratic form of governance that was experienced. The heading “Keeping on Good Terms” as given to the painting is a message to the painter to the regime to exercise governance where people get justice. Image further shows traditional aesthetic influence from traditional thinkers into literati culture to communicate exemplar of proper moral conduct. But just as influence were these traditional thoughts, the literati paintings were representational code where the significance of nature depictions, more so landscape was regarded as the best mode of communication and most striking example. The phenomenon in image 4 on the other hand serves the same purpose but a universal feature of traditions of representational paintings. This is what can been seen as theory of subjectivity in painting where the influence of traditional aesthetics and thoughts are integrated into the literati paintings in the process of searching of self-identity.3 Literati paintings further moved to cases where it embodied an epistemic awareness, slightly different from thoughts earlier expressed by the traditional philosophy. By this it meant that it interpreted traditional aesthetic orientations but with a view of possible link between experiences as it was presented during the traditional time and phenomenological assumptions that were held be the audience. The creation of this link bore what was seen as the cognitive function of painting. 3.0. Conclusion Assessment of features of literati paintings is one aspect; linking it with how traditional philosophy and aesthetic thoughts shaped the development of literati paintings is another aspect that should be understood when theoretical frameworks are also considered. However, one thing that helps understand the traditional philosophy and aesthetic thoughts is that literati borrowed much when it came to memorial. The paintings served as memorial and for that, were characterized by traditional aspects that were intended to be preserved in such paintings. The aspect of memorial was addition by subsequent inscribers so as the meaning of the paintings could be transformed with every colophon. References Dal Lago, F. (1998). ‘New Literati Painting’at the China Art Gallery, Beijing. ART AsiaPacific, 19, 32-34. Farrer, A., Wu, K. C., & Gao, M. (1992). Wu Guanzhong: a twentieth-century Chinese painter. British Museum Press. Fong, W. C. (2003). Why Chinese painting is history. The Art Bulletin, 85(2), 258-280. Hsü, G. C. C. (2001). A Bushel of Pearls: Painting for Sale in Eighteenth-Century Yangchow. Stanford University Press. Wetzel, S. J. (1996). Sheng Mou: The coalescence of professional and literati painting in late Yuan China. Artibus Asiae, 263-289. Wong, A. Y. (2000). A new life for literati painting in the early twentieth century: Eastern art and modernity, a transcultural narrative?. Artibus Asiae, 297-326. 4.0. Appendices Image 1: Orchid and Bamboo Shitao (Qing dynasty) Image 2: Flower Basket lisong (Song dynasty) Image 3: “Keeping on Good Terms” Wang mengqi Image 4: Read More