Traditional Arts in China
Early Art
Old Stone Age Chinese art is traced as far back as the Old Stone Age. This was the first known prehistoric human culture, and the longest where the development of human species happened. During this time, work was done with stone tools and shelters were basic, such as caves. This age is divided into three different periods. The first of which is the Paleolithic Period
At the beginning of the Paleolithic Period most people were Nomadic hunters and gatherers. This was also the first period where people have begun to make fire. In the later Paleolithic Period Communal hunting starts to develop, as well as constructed shelters. Belief systems based on magic and the supernatural also began to appear.
Middle Stone Age
After the Old Stone Age came the Middle Stone Age or Mesolithic Period, this period began at the end of the last glacial era, over 10,000 years ago. During this time communities began to form. The use of weapons also became popular to hunt. It is during this time that pottery began to develop. Many archeologists have found carved wood made into people.
Caligraphy
In the Chinese language each word is a single character. China’s founding of paper in A.D. 105 led too much of its development in calligraphy and eventually paper, which the West didn’t discover till 11 centuries later. The pointed brush on a calligraphy brush was usually made from goat or wolf hair. For perfect control on a calligraphy brush, on is supposed to hold the bush upright so as to keep the tip centered. The black ink was mixed by rubbing the brush on an ink stone with added drops of water
Knowing the art of calligraphy mean that you were among the elite in China. The art form didn’t change month for over 2000 years. The early government saw the art of calligraphy as a very important role in education for scholars. People also found calligraphy of having profound spiritual values. Calligraphy is also more depending on technical expertise through hard work and effort than any other art form.
Knowing the art of calligraphy mean that you were among the elite in China. The art form didn’t change month for over 2000 years. The early government saw the art of calligraphy as a very important role in education for scholars. People also found calligraphy of having profound spiritual values. Calligraphy is also more depending on technical expertise through hard work and effort than any other art form.
Chinese Art and Dynasties
In the Shang Dynasty (1523 – 1028 B.C.) people began to cast bronze jars in molds with designs of dragons, elephants, and other creatures.
During the Chou Dynasty, (1027 – 256 B.C.) artists began to make lacquered boxed, and to paint landscapes and people on silk cloth.
Yuan Dynasty
During the Yuan Dynasty (1280 – 1365 A.D.) a new kind of cultivated landscape bloomed, the “mind landscape”. It took learned styles of early master, and their own inner spirit. Artist put their personal feelings in their paintings, though selected many of the antique styles. “Painting was no longer about the description of the visible world; it became a means of conveying the inner landscape of the artist’s heart and mind. This idea of painting being away of expressing has carried on.
Late Tang Dynasty (618 – 906 A.D)
Landscape painting becomes a way for men to escape their daily lives and become closer to nature. Being faced with the troubles of dynasties collapsing, the natural world became a very popular poets and painters. Retreating into the mountains became like a sanctuary. Painting also became very focused on people, and horses
Song Dynasty
Ideas of a private retreat brought about a new class of scholar officials in the Early Song Dynasty (960 – 1279 AD). People highly believed in the virtues of self-cultivation. People were making them identity known as teachers through poetry, calligraphy, and a new style of painting that allowed calligraphic brushwork for self-expression.
During the Chou Dynasty, (1027 – 256 B.C.) artists began to make lacquered boxed, and to paint landscapes and people on silk cloth.
Yuan Dynasty
During the Yuan Dynasty (1280 – 1365 A.D.) a new kind of cultivated landscape bloomed, the “mind landscape”. It took learned styles of early master, and their own inner spirit. Artist put their personal feelings in their paintings, though selected many of the antique styles. “Painting was no longer about the description of the visible world; it became a means of conveying the inner landscape of the artist’s heart and mind. This idea of painting being away of expressing has carried on.
Late Tang Dynasty (618 – 906 A.D)
Landscape painting becomes a way for men to escape their daily lives and become closer to nature. Being faced with the troubles of dynasties collapsing, the natural world became a very popular poets and painters. Retreating into the mountains became like a sanctuary. Painting also became very focused on people, and horses
Song Dynasty
Ideas of a private retreat brought about a new class of scholar officials in the Early Song Dynasty (960 – 1279 AD). People highly believed in the virtues of self-cultivation. People were making them identity known as teachers through poetry, calligraphy, and a new style of painting that allowed calligraphic brushwork for self-expression.
Paper
Paper was invented in China in the Tang Dynasty. The Chinese used the paper cuts to decorate windows, houses, clothes and hair. Different types of patterns, animals, and people were cut out.
http://www.chinancient.com/chinese-paper-cutting/ (url for picture)
In the Shang Dynasty (1523 – 1028 B.C.) people began to cast bronze jars in molds with designs of dragons, elephants, and other creatures.
During the Chou Dynasty, (1027 – 256 B.C.) artists began to make lacquered boxed, and to paint landscapes and people on silk cloth.
http://www.chinancient.com/chinese-paper-cutting/ (url for picture)
In the Shang Dynasty (1523 – 1028 B.C.) people began to cast bronze jars in molds with designs of dragons, elephants, and other creatures.
During the Chou Dynasty, (1027 – 256 B.C.) artists began to make lacquered boxed, and to paint landscapes and people on silk cloth.
Early Chinese Painting
Earliest examples of Chinese paintings date from the Han dynasty (206 B.C. – A.D 220) It began around this time because this is when the walls of temples started getting painted with murals. During the Tang Dynasty, murals and large screens were most likely the main format in which to paint, another format was the scroll.
The earliest type of scroll tape was the horizontal hand scroll, or shoujuan. This was the first known form of the book before the folded format we use today. The fold book that we use today was developed in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). To view the horizontal hand scroll it is placed on a table and unrolled section by section, some scrolls could even go on for feet.
The earliest type of scroll tape was the horizontal hand scroll, or shoujuan. This was the first known form of the book before the folded format we use today. The fold book that we use today was developed in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). To view the horizontal hand scroll it is placed on a table and unrolled section by section, some scrolls could even go on for feet.