Early Chinese Art

Philosophy permeates fine art…..

China larger than US

Most populated country (1/5)

Many languages & ethnic groups

Ruled by dynasties

8000 years of unbroken history

Bronze Age China– Philosophy that Endures Todaybronze bells from the Zhou dynasty, 433 BCE

•Three bronze age Dynasties,: Xia, Shang, Zhou

•Zhou dynasty was a feudal society (took over warrior society of Shang)

•Philosophers arose during this age - Confucius, Laozi, Mozi

CALLIGRAPHY

•Chinese calligraphy -highest art form.

•Different styles - years perfecting the techniques.

•Children start by copying ideographs

•Confucius praised pursuit of knowledge & the arts; painting was to reflect moral concerns and calligraphy revealed the character of the writer

•Some calligraphy cannot be read by modern Chinese readers, it is so artistically done

•Literati - Confucian scholars- practiced this art form

•Hand scrolls (Paintings) often have a label in calligraphy in the colophon section.

Knight Shining White, Tang Dynasty, 750 CE

• Original handscroll was about 12” wide• Now several feet with all enthusiastic descriptions, comments, poetry from readers• “Du Hua” to literally, READ a painting as a form of appreciation• Painters were highly valued; some Emperors becamse noted calligraphers and painters• Studied under appreentice ship system

The Great Silk Road

Daoism

• Return to nature• Individualism• Immortality?• The Way• Lao Zi, philosopher,

500 BCE (before Socrates)

Emperor Qin Shih Huangdi, 210 BCE

• 1st ruler of united China - Hin/Qin dynasty• Codified written Chinese• Established uniform currency• Started famous Great Wall of China• Began his majestic tomb (SOLDIERS)• Insisted on govt based on accomplishments

rather than family connections

Soldiers (Army of Emp. Shi Huangdi, terra cotta, c 210 BCE, Qin Dynasty)

Flashcard

•Discovered in 1974

•6’ tall soliders

•8000 warriors, 100 chariots, 2 bronze chariots, 30,000 weapons

•Tomb of 1st Emperor of China

•Shi Huangdi

•Daoism shown in individuality of shoulders despite numbers

•Chinese army marching into the next world.

Soldiers (Army of Emp. Shi Huangdi, terra cotta, c 210 BCE, Qin Dynasty)

•Soldiers were originally painted

•Each were individual portraits not generic

•Masterpieces of ceramics

•Nat Geo Short Video

Confucianism

• Reverence for ancestors• Respect for authority• Social order• Women subordinate to

men

More about typical Chinese architecture…

• Exterior walls of a courtyard style residence• Frame a courtyard for tranquility- Elders live in suite of rooms

on warmer north end• Children live in the wings• Wood structures, rectangular grid• CONFUCIANISM

Chinese Pagodas•Pagodas developed from Buddhist stupas; the design was brought from India via the Silk Road

•Built for sacred purpose, each design is repeated vertically on each level, getting progressively smaller.

•Japanese also developed pagodas

Camel Carrying a Group of Musicians, flashcard

Tang Dynasty, 8th century CE

Earthenware w/ 3 color glaze, 26” high

China had control over Central Asia again during Tang dynasty

Fascination w/Turkic cultures .. Shows Turkish musicans with Han Chinese

Naturalism - new interest and trend in painting & sculpture

Beautiful 3 color glazes, spontaneous

Silk Road was flourishing, brought Chinese goods to West

Neoconfucianism= naturalism

Seated Buddha, Stone carving, 45’ tall, 460 CE. flashcard

Shows Indian/Central Asian Buddhist iconography with large shoulders + slender body, lotus position, long ears, ushnishu, and peaceful smile.

Great Wild Goose Pagoda

flashcard

Ci’en Temple, Xi’an

Tang dynasty, 645 CE

Typical Chinese Buddhist pagoda

About 210’ tall (was taller, rebuilt during Ming dynasty after earthquake)

Chinese Painting Traditions• Fans, album leaves, and murals • Handscrolls on silk or cotton with dowels (meant to

be unrolled and enjoyed, not hung on wall).. Read right to left.

• Colophon - write comments or poetry• Hanging scrolls with main scene on front and title on

top back• Same brushes used for painting & calligraphy

Knight Shining White, Tang Dynasty, 750 CE

• The discipline required derived from calligraphy. • Traditionally, every literate person learned to write by copying Chinese ideographs. • Then gradually exposed to different stylistic interpretations of these characters.• Copied great calligraphers' manuscripts, which were often preserved on carved stones so

that rubbings could be made.

•Aim of traditional painter was to capture not outer appearance but inner energy, and spirit. “DRAGON STEED”

•Rejected color or too much background info•Pure line to define form, no opaque pigments “white painting”

•Landscape paintings highly prized in Chinese art.

•Do not represent a particular forest, mountain, or view, but an artistic construct yielding a philosophical idea

•Some parts of painting are empty & barren, others are crowded.. Yin/Yang of Daoism aka Taoism

•This is an example of the empty space contrasted with calligraphy and densely detailed drawing

Travelers Among Mountains and Streams,

Fan Kaun

Northern Song Dynasty, 11th century CE

•Hanging scroll, ink & colors on silk, 6’9” high

•Subtly graded ink tones

•Northern Song: fascination with precision and details as shown here.

Flashcard image - Northern Song painting

Art of Buddhism

Travels along the silk road…..

Buddhist Religion• Shakyamuni Buddha from Nepal• Siddartha, child prince, shielded from

pain & suffering• Left palace at age 29, travelled,

meditated, • Samsara: cycle of birth, death, rebirth• Nirvana: ultimate enlightenment• Compassion and learning are KEYs.• Different buddhas are recognized• Bodhisattvas - help others reach

enlightenment

Dalai Lama, leader of Tibetan Buddhism and Nobel Peace prize winner

Hindus and Buddhists share many concepts: e.g. Karma and giving, thus people of many classes give gifts to monasteries

Early Buddhist Stupa, Mauyra Period 200 BCE

Buddhist shrine, mound shape, faced with dressed stone, replication of the dome of heaven•3 umbrellas at top represent Buddha, Buddha’s Law, Monks•Railing at crest surrounds “sacred tree” umbrellas•Walkway around drum for circumambulation (cosmic circle)•4 toranas grace entrances… richly carved scenes, Buddha shown as empty throne with high relief sculptures•Plan based on sacred mandala design

Great Stupa at Sanchi, India - 3rd Century BCE (flashcard)

Why no image of the Buddha himself? Perhaps because he achieved enlightenment and been freed from the confines of the body

Footprints

Sacred path

Torana

Yakshi

Reliquary: place where relics are kept.

Standing Buddha, Gandhara Period, 2nd century CE

Flashcard

•Hellenistic style drapery

•Artistic conventions - top knot (ushnisha), patterned hair curls, impression of wheel (chakra) on hands and feet,

•Long arms, serene face

Standing Buddha, Gandhara, Pakistan.c.300 CE (hellen----)

Buddha and Attendants, Mathura. India. c.200 CE (Yaksha)

Gandhara and Mathura Schools, 1-300 CE

Inspired by what type of statues from somewhere else???????????

Bodhisattva from Ajanta Caves

475 CE

Gupta period.

Bodhisattvas are spiritual beings who help others reach nirvana.

Princely garments, not monk’s robes like Buddha

Outline drawing, softly graded tones in painting give some 3-dimensionality

Synthesis of divine and human.

Buddhist Iconography

Mudras

Hand gestures seen in Buddhism

Forms of Buddhism

Siddhartha Gautama (Shakyamuni Buddha) 563-483 BCE

Nirvana: extinction of samsara

Theraveda: self cultivation to attain nirvana; individual training & enightenment

Mahayana: enlightenment for all beings; compassion. Zen and Tibetan buddhism, bodhissatvas as Gods

Western Pure Land Buddhism: paradise open to all through rebirth. Amida Buddha reached it through faith alone.

Not sermons in stone, but expressions of joyful participation in everyday life. The Buddha is seen as present in these.

Life of BuddhaBirthDepartureEnlightenmentFirst SermonMiraclesDeath

The Four Encounters and 6 Years

Enlightenment and the Defeat of Mara

Eightfold Path and Four Noble Truths