Chinese Painting Blog » chinese arts

Folk Life in Chinese Genre Paintings

CNArtGallery — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 16:35:22 +0000

Genre painting is one of important subjects of Chinese figure paintings that usually takes folks’ daily life as its content. As a distinctive form of Chinese paintings, genre painting is extraordinarily close to the life of the mind of masses as well as aesthetically needs for it grows out of folk art.

The general public had strong consumer demand and spending power on genre painting which pay more attention to their day-to-day life. Thus, genre painting became the most representative part of figure painting in Chinese arts of worldly Song Dynasty.

Chinese genre paintings

Eight Immortals the Chinese gods in Paintings

CNArtGallery — Wed, 04 Dec 2013 16:29:39 +0000

Each Immortal has a magic tool that can give life or destroy evils. Tieguai Li had an iron crutch and gourd, Zhang Guolao always rode the donkey back to front, Han Zhongli waved his palm-leaf fan, Lan Caihe carried his flower basket, Han Xiangzi played his flute, He Xiangu always appeared with lotus flowers, Lv Dongbin had a sword, and Cao Guojiu held a jade tablet. Their eight tools together are called "Covert Eight Immortals" or "Eight Treasures". It's also said that the Eight Immortals in Chinese paintings represent male, female, the old, the young, riches, honor, the poor, and the lowly respectively. So the Eight Immortals with their tools are one of the most popular elements in the secular Chinese culture.

It's said that, one day the Eight Immortals went to celebrate the birthday of the Queen Mother of the Western Heavens. When they prepared to cross the East Sea, one of the immortals, Lv Dongbin, proposed that they each cross the East sea using their own magic tools, instead of flying over it on a cloud. The other immortals agreed with him. Then each of them threw their own magic tools to the sea and stood on the tools. They sailed through winds and sea waves, and finally they all went together to the birthday banquet of the Queen Mother of the Western Heavens.

Eight Immortals- Chinese Painting

What are Chinese Scroll Paintings

CNArtGallery — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 16:22:51 +0000

Chinese Scroll mounting is a traditional mounting form to make Chinese paintings/calligraphy as scrolls that is time-honored and has distinct national characteristic. According to the surviving historical records, the scroll mounting was invented as early as 1,500 years ago. And the process and materials selection of the scroll mounting were also recorded.

Traditional Chinese painting or calligrapy is executed on Xuan paper or silk fabrics, it tends to incur worm and broken easily if stored for a long time if not well be displayed. In addition, it cannot stands damp and dry. For prolonging the Lifespan of Chinese paintings, it is very important to learn some knowledge about the protection of Chinese painting.

Peony - Mounted - Chinese Painting

Fengshui Meaning in Chinese Pomegranate Paintings

CNArtGallery — Thu, 28 Nov 2013 16:40:02 +0000

Pomegranate is regarded as the auspicious fruit in China. Because of its bright color and numerous plump seeds, it is an emblem of posterity, prosperity, solidarity, and luck in Chinese bird-and-flower paintings. In folk, when take a wife or marry a man, people often place a pomegranate which burst open, revealing the numerous seeds on the desk or other place in bridal chamber. People also giff-gaff the pomegranate for blessing.

The common auspicious pattern picture about pomegranate in Chinese paintings is: a burst-open fruitful pomegranate with branches and leaves. It is symbolize the hope of the family for numerous offspring behaving in a virtuous and filial manner and rising to fame and glory.

Chinese Pomegranate Painting

Chinese Modern Paintings

CNArtGallery — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 16:32:11 +0000

Beginning with the New Culture Movement, Chinese artists started to adopt using Western techniques. It also was during this time that oil painting was introduced to China.

In the early years of the People's Republic of China, Chinese artists were encouraged to employ socialist realism. Some Soviet Union socialist realism was imported without modification, and painters were assigned subjects and expected to mass-produce paintings. This regimen was considerably relaxed in 1953, and after the Hundred Flowers Campaign of 1956-57, traditional Chinese painting experienced a significant revival. Along with these developments in professional art circles, there was a proliferation of peasant art depicting everyday life in the rural areas on wall murals and in open-air painting exhibitions.

During the Cultural Revolution, art schools were closed, and publication of art journals and major art exhibitions ceased with major destructions done as part of the elimination of Four Olds campaign.

Following the Cultural Revolution, art schools and professional organizations were reinstated. Exchanges were set up with groups of foreign artists. Chinese artists began to experiment with new subjects and techniques in their attempt to bring Chinese painting to a new height.

Father-Chinese Oil Painting

Waterfall in Chinese Landscapes

CNArtGallery — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 06:49:57 +0000

Many critics consider landscape to be the highest form of Chinese painting. By the late Tang Dynasty (618-907), landscape painting had evolved into an independent genre that embodied the universal longing of cultivated men to escape their quotidian world to commune with nature. As the Tang Dynasty disintegrated, the concept of withdrawal into the natural world became a major thematic focus of poets and painters. Faced with the failure of the human order, learned men sought permanence within the natural world, retreating into the mountains to find a sanctuary from the chaos of dynastic collapse.

In Chinese culture, water symbolizes wealth, and the waterfall represents profits pouring in from all sides. Therefore, Chinese waterfall painting is a well-received theme for Chinese painting.

Mountains and waterfall - Chinese Painting