Asian Art 5; Ch Test (6-10)

Night Revels of Han Xizai (detail)

Five Dynasties handscroll COPY from ARTIST Gu Hongzhong's work ink and color on silk, notorious piece Southern Tang court, located in the city of Nanjing, sponsored court painters; the best known of these served under the last ruler, Li Yu. He commissioned from court painter Gu Hongzhong gained a lot of hate. Shows interaction of men and women in a fancy setting. Emperor was worried when he discovered that his political advisor Han Xizai was inviting fellow officials & students to his home every night, where courtesans would provide entertainment (musical and sexual) for guests. Normally confined to entertainment district of capital. Gu Hongzhong's painting came before the textual accounts of Han Xizai's odd behavior.

Funeral Suit

Han Dynasty jade and gold- plaques of jade sewn with gold wire 12 sections that correspond to the prince's head, ace, front torso, back torso, limbs, hands, and feet protective garment 2 sets of bi discs connected with silk were placed on chest and back this was used because of the Daoist belief in alchemy - the skin turns into metal and the deceased would become immortal high quality of the craftsmanship attest to the prince's elite status and to the importance of preparing him appropriately for the afterlife.

Hill-shaped Incense Burner

Han Dynasty suggest Daoist concept of sacred mountains inhabited by the immortals The Mancheng Tombs bronze and gold found in prince's tomb conical lid jagged vertical elements on lid and around rim represent mountain peaks small figures on lid- wandering immortals (hermits) bowl designed to hold burning incense, when lid replaced the smoke would escape through an openings in the lid that were hidden among vertical elements, created the impression of mist rising off the mountains earliest representation of a landscape the intricate details of the incense burner indicates the wealth of the prince, whom the burner was buried with

Forbidden City

Ming Architecture (Chinese). Beijing, Ming capital, established in Nanjing, moved north to Beijing during reign of Yongle emperor. Located at the site of the Yuan capital of Dadu. Beijing shared some features with Tang Chang'an. (accomodated functions of imperial court) Imperial gov't paying great deal for architecture, grid like, surrounding walk cardinal directions. Gate of heavenly piece- entrance. Fires and rebuilding programs. motes, walls - vermillion & yellow glazed- emperor & yellow (indication, Mandarin vocab have same prnunciations) to stand out, impression of unified complex.

Great Wall

Ming Architecture (Chinese). masonry (stonework, brick or stone). Shihuangdi started concept of wall (forced labor). Fortification Northern border. 5,600 miles of wall, extended through critical mountain passes. 26 ft high, double walls, walk way in center (surviving pieces), achieved under Ming emperors. When the Chinese faced increasing conflict with the Mongols.

Chicken Cup

Ming Ceramics. porcelain with underglaze blue and overgglaze enamels, domestic market, ex. of type referred to in Chinese as "joined colors" (doucai). Worth their weight in gold.

Hills and Streams after rain (detail)

Ming Painting. Chen Chun - ARTIST, handscroll, appropriate approach, bird flower landscapepaintings (artist known for), created in the Mi family style of the Song dynasty, conical mtns. from layered daubs of ink, dotting suggests vegetation, & negative space that conveys bands of mist cutting through landscape. white pigment used to highlight clouds, boneless painting- no outlining, put directly on handscroll

"Poet on a Mountaintop"

Ming Painting. Shen Zhou - ARTIST (came from a wealthy literati family, leader of Wu School), album leaves, painted for the collector Wu Kuan, negative space w/ figure (recluse) & staff, minimal (suggesting detail), eyes drawn to top corner, poet wishes for company, poem & painting play off each other. Dong-Ju style for the landscape. relatively wet ink and the use of a round brushstroke (with a hidden brush tip) for outline, recalls the style of one of the 4 Great Masters of the Yuan, Wu Zhen, became hallmarks of Shen Zhou's style.

Beggars and Street Characters (detail)

Ming Painting. Zhou Chen - ARTIST album was a colophon but now divided and remounted as 2 handscroll, markets as a warning to society. 2 dozen ppl depicted. dressed in rags, barefoot, messy hair, physical ailments. ppl begging, struggling 2 survive. critique of gov't (Zhengde emperor)- corrupt eunuchs (high taxes). Absemce of seals- ppl didnt want to own it, images made them uncomfortable

Portraits of Guanyin (detail)

Ming Painting. late Ming dynasty. Miss Qiu (Qiu Zhu) - ARTIST (daughter of professional), specialty was figure Boddhisattva of Compassion- Guanyin, album, gold on ink-dyed paper, crown over head, resting upon rocks of Mount Potalaka- Guanyin's home, next to the sea. billowing waves- reflected in figure, evolution of Bodhisattva- now female, Women appealed to her, in matters involving children. Seals of a wife of the collector Xiang Yuanbian (albums patron was a woman). derives frm series of works from Northern Song painter Li Gonglin's handscroll of 32 manifestations of Guanyin

"Oriole writes a letter to scholar Zhang" (Act 18) from Story of the Western Wing

Ming Painting. polychrome woodblock print, Love affair of Oriole and Zhang, maid- status of Oriole, strong diagonal lines, woodblock print (oldest form of printing), painters make living off of artwork. Attracted female audience. 20 copies, illustrated books were really popular during Ming Dynasty.

Tripod pitcher (Gui)

Neolithic China earthenware Longshan culture form reveals its function: feet and spout suggest that it was made for pouring hot liquid - most likely wine (served warm) found in Shangdong province subtly decorated; neck- turned rim, small circular button of raised clay strap handle (rope-like) ridges- level w/ base of handle, extend on a slight diagonal around the vessel in a way that accentuates the sudden flaring of the rounded legs The decoration shows the potter's consideration of its visual appeal.

Head

Neolithic China earthenware and jade Honghsan culture excavated in 1983 72 ft. long cruciform building dug into Earth, a nearby platform possibly used as an altar (ceremonial/ritualistic), & clusters of tombs built out of mounds of limestone artifacts found: painted pottery, jade artifacts buried within them, & fragments of life-size or greater than life-size sculptures of women - building is Temple of the Goddess tombs were built for elite figures inlaid eyes of jade naturalistic representation of face unconfirmed that the head actually represented goddess or female spirit - may suggest high status of women in Hongshan culture

Lady Wenji's Return to China

Northern Song Dynasty 1st detail Parting from Nomad handscroll, narrative about a young Chinese woman, Cai Yan, whose courtesy name—adopted in adulthood and used in place of her given name—was Wenji, or "Literary Concubine." Official's daughter kidnapped by the Xiongnu, she was taken to the Central Asian steppes & was compelled to marry one of their leaders & bear his children. Based on 18 poems written by Liu Shang. Painter depicts the nomads as the Khitans of the powerful Liao state to the northeast, in an effort to promote peaceful relations btwn the Liao and the Northern Song. "Parting from Nomad Husband and Children" represents Wenji's mixed feelings, wishing to return to China but heartbroken at leaving her sons behind.

A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains (detail)

Northern Song Dynasty Weng Ximeng - ARTIST - layered the mineral pigments thickly on mountain peaks and dilutes them to color the water. long handscroll painting represents idealized landscape, rendered in the blue-green style of the Tang dynasty Surreal intensity of colors suggests Daoist land of immortals (emperor devoted to his religion). Associated w/ Huizong's reign- shows that he was capable of ruling such a large territory and his subjects succeeded under him. Watermill- important technological advancement during his reign. Scale & media of this work identify as a court production. Panorama- extent of the emperor's domain. Spring scenery.

Five-colored Parakeet on Blossoming Apricot Tree

Northern Song Dynasty. Attributed to Emperor Huizong. handscroll, it's a visual document confirming that Huizong retained the mandate of heaven, crucial given that natural disasters troubled his reign. Huizong founded a new instrument of ppl, rewarded artists who displayed the most naturalistic representation of nature. 5 colored parakeet-symbol of luck, but also considered to be auspicious omens since Han times. Mentions the parakeet's cultured speech, dignity, and yellow and purple colors, which are attributes of the nobility. Bird is shown in profile and appears to be still, creating a sense of formality which allows art to function as a political instrument.

Travelers among Mountains and Streams

Northern Song Dynasty. Fan Kuan - (unconvetional) ARTIST, hanging scroll, ink and color on silk, artist's paintings are majestic, spent most of his time in nature rather than copying other artists. Studied work of Li Cheng mountains- sacred abode of immortals. Neo-confucianism, absolute truth in nature, 7 ft. high. Large boulders in foreground, men w/ donkeys, fog/mist (gradation of tone), captures geology, used diff. strokes to capture what he's doing, master at various techniques. Li- principles (Law of Nature), Qi- vital force & substance that of which man & nature are made. Encapsulates patterns of nature & energy micro image of cosmic universe. techniques- "raindrop texture strokes" that convey the ruggedness of the vertical cliffs to the dilute ink wash that renders the mist separating foreground from background. Wang lived as a recluse near Hangzhou, then moved to the Suzhou area, where he interacted with other literati.

Tea Bowl with Hare's- fur glaze

Northern Song Dynasty. Jian ware, stoneware w/ iron oxide glaze (an excess of oxygen), the glaze fires black and breaks, where thinnest, to reddish-brown, and can produce the streaked hare's fur effect, Jian ware was also valued by literati and Chan Buddhist monks and became much prized in Japan. Base is left raw, ceramic work seems imperfect - purposeful

Infantry pit

Qin Dynasty life-size earthenware figures Warrior Pit 1, Shaanxi province diff. facial features and hairstyles 300-400 lbs each would have been colored 7,000-8,000 soldiers highly sophisticated "right army" of Shihuangdi Shihuangdi- instructed the making of the soldiers people of China assassinated his son

A Thousand Peaks and Myriad Ravines

Qing Painting, Gong Xian - ARTIST, hanging scroll, ink on paper, artist outside court patronage, originality- opposed rules of Manchu leaders, Loyal to Ming rather than Qing, unusual look achieved by layers, artist somber mood- change in dynasty,used elements of Chinese painting landscape compressed. valued observation of nature over study of historical painting traditions. Influenced by Flemish artist Anton Wierix.

Inauguration portraits of the Qianlong Emperor, His Empress and the Eleven Imperial Consorts, or Mind Picture of a Well-Governed and Tranquil Reign (detail)

Qing Painting, Lang Shining (Guiseppe Castiglione, Jesuit, trained as a painter in baroque style) & Chinese court painters, handscroll, painting combines elements of European and Chinese styles. formal, static, symmetrical, wearing fancy clothing- depicts high status, abandoned style to please emperor, subtle 3-D, subtle ink wash. Inspired by Nepalese painter, Anige. Emperor acknowledged work with impression of nine of his seals.

Self-Portrait

Qing Painting, Ren Xiong - ARTIST, hanging scroll, educated professional painter, painted towards end of life, diff. techniques used to explain painter, cartoonish, study in contradiction, big portrait, left- his disconnect to tumultuous world, looks boldly @ viewer, "artist confronts his audience, seeking to forge a connection where he feels none." New developments in arts & architecture of Ming & Qing dynasties demonstrate impact of increasing urbanization & commercialization.

Moon and Melon

Qing Painting. Zhu Da (Bada Shanren) - ARTIST, hanging scroll, ink on paper, related to Ming royals, remained a monk. Isolated himself convincing ppl he was insane. Painted of eve of autumn, evoke Chinese rebels (fighting outside leaders), political expression regarding resistance & loyalty to Ming. Mooncakes evoke Chinese rebels who overthrew Yuan and carried cakes as proof of affiliation with insurgents. moon- Ming emperors, the character ming consists of the radicals, or components, for sun and moon. melon- 2 political meanings, fall in status of loyal Marquis of Dongling, a Qin aristocrat who became a melon farmer under the Han. seeds- multiple imperial descendants, Chinese words for "seed" & "son" are identical.

Standing Figure

Shang Dynasty bronze guardian figure Two sacrificial pits found in Sanxingdui have yielded a trove of artifacts in bronze, ivory, hardstone, and gold, including an unusual standing figure in bronze that is larger than life-size small head, large hands that end in circles (probably held an elephant's tusk), and an extremely long body, and it stands on a plinth. abstract geometric motifs and naturalistic representation of animals shoulders decorated in low relief headdress and plinth have lightly incised spiraling lines

Wine Vessel (Zun)

Shang Dynasty bronze regional style piece-molding casting abstract motifs taotie ("monster mask" motif) and cloud-pattern motifs on the upper part of the vessel, interaction between the two cultures 2 animal forms - naturalistic (heads, necks, chests, and front legs of two rams, embellished with hooked flanges that represent the rams' beards and the fur on their underbellies.) quite symmetrical and the surfaces of their faces are covered with the cloud-pattern spirals, the curling of the horns around the heads, the shapes of their snouts, and the curvature of the chests suggest an approach to representation based in part on observation of nature

Admonitions of the Court Instructress to the Palace Ladies (detail)

Six Dynasties (China) Gu Kaizhi - ARTIST (Eastern Jin figure painter) handscroll seek religions for peace depicts the lecturing lady of the poem writing out her recommendations for two waiting court women. might be a copy used for practice red stamp seals- record of ownership of handscroll (vermillion paste used) representation of historical figures & idealized scenes that demonstrate importance of virtue, cultivation of character (subdued character), trust, and family minimal background detail to show emphasis on interaction tranquil posture- qualities of reflection and forbearance while scarves show movement- animation

Twelve Views of Landscape (detail)

Southern Song Dynasty. Xai Gui and Empress Yang Meizi - ARTISTS, handscroll, ink on silk, "economy of line", calligraphy by empress herself (Empress Yang Meizi), withdrawing from society theme, infused with mist. May have given this painting to her successor, Empress Xie Daoqing.

Western Pure Land mural

Tang (Dynasty) Buddhist Art. City of Chang'an, from Cave 45 of the Mogao Grottoes at Dunhuang, shows beliefs of Pure Land Buddhism (new version of Buddhism). Central section of mural shows Buddha of the West enthroned & surrounded by a multitude of enlightened beings. Vairochana sits cross-legged. He has a finely carved halo & flame mandorla, which appear on back wall of cave. To reach realm free of corruption to become enlightened, you must be reborn. Amitabha- say name a profess faith. Look at mural while chanting name of Western Pure Land Buddha

Great Goose Pagoda

Tang Buddhist Art. In Chang'an. Emperor Gaozong sponsored its construction at the suggestion of the Chinese monk Xuanzang. Functions as a large-scale reliquary, holding Buddha's sacred words, set down in sutras that Xuanzang spent 16 yrs journeying to India & back to get. Masonry (stonework). Han Chinese opposed Buddhism b/c it was foreign. Pagoda: east Asian form of Stupa. Increasing narrowing of size. Can actually eneter. Circumambulation inside rather than out. Dedicated to emperor Goazong's late mother, later rebuilt by his consort, Empress Wu.

Jar with Handles

Tang Decorative Arts. stoneware (ceramic vessel) with tea-dust glaze. Very high temp. harder, non-porous (began to be used more during this time), matte finish- look of actual tea (color), lower foot is raw, simple, yet elegant shape. Developed in the kilns of Yaozhou, Shanxi province. predicts Song dynasty tea ceramics. trends seen in this era—upsurge of courtly and Buddhist patronage

Night-Shining White

Tang Dynasty. Han Gan - ARTIST mounted as a handscroll, ink on paper, represents a type of horse that began to be imported from Ferghana in the Han dynasty, via the Silk Road. represents a type of horse that began to be imported from Ferghana in the Han dynasty, via the Silk Road. Horse painting became an important genre in art. The restraint of such a spirited animal indicates the emperor's control. Seals that intrude on the composition are written by emperors. seals indicate the painting's importance and increase appreciation of the work.

Autobiographical Essay (detail)

Tang Dynasty. Huaisu - ARTIST (Buddhist monk), handscroll. wild cursive script, read from right to left, lettering aligned in vertical lines but sometimes collide, vary in size, get larger towards end of essay- signifies abandonment, physically shows he's upset. Content concerns his artistic career- Following mentions of his native place and entry into monastic life, Huaisu describes a period of studying calligraphic history in the Tang capital Chang'an, then relates his acquaintances' comments on his calligraphy. Also, writes about family talking bad of him. drunk (state of mind regarded as enabling greater authenticity of emotion in the work)

Palace Ladies Tuning the Lute

Tang Dynasty. Zhou Fang - ARTIST, handscroll, ink and color on silk, COPY, elite women (educated women), plump (a beauty standard set in the Tang by the imperial concubine Yang Guifei), fashionably dressed, set in garden landscape details, simply dressed maids - edge (1 carrying a teacup, the 2nd a tray of lute strings). suggests that the performer tunes the strings as she waits to play a song for her beloved. represent the emotional life of women, and the painting conveys the patient longings of the imperial concubines.

Playing Polo (detail)

Tang Dynasty. pigment on plaster. Tomb of Prince Zhuanghuai features this on west wall of ramp, Tibetan envoys and a Chinese team that included the future emperor Xuanzong (Chinese won). robust horses. 3 tombs at political intrigue- Empress Wu exiled her son and had him commit suicide complex, 2 princes, 1 princess (Qianling tomb complex was located at Mount Liang). tombs have a long chamber, landscapes scenes

White Stupa

Yuan Dynasty. In capital Dadu. Anige - (leading court) ARTIST. stone with stucco and bronze. hybrid architecture. Tibetan forms of Esoteric Buddhism became more prominent in China with the ascent of the first Mongol emperor (sealed interior of the White Stupa contains representations of an immense number of Tibetan Esoteric Buddhist deities, set in mandala formation to show interrelationship), Khubilai Khan (Emperor Shizu), & his empress Chabi. Subjugated much of Southern China. Beijing becomes capital, Yuan- means origin. Stupa-relics contained, followed Tibetan sect. Anige and Khubilai Khan oversaw construction of Stupa. White stucco, houses relics of Buddha that were already there in the building. Nepalese style. Corner shrines bottom- Chinese style

Khubilai Khan Hunting

Yuan Dynasty. Lui Guandao - ARTIST (served as a court painter under Mongols), hanging scroll, ink & color on silk, more focus on figures & horses. Imperial hunting party out in desert Emperor on horseback beside Empress Chabi. Their dress reveals them as Mongols. Painting reminds the viewer that one of the great advantages the Mongols possessed was their superior horsemanship, while at the same time signaling the political status of the ruler and indicating his nomadic ancestry.

Sheep and Goat

Yuan Dynasty. handscroll, ink on paper. Zhao Mengfu (descendant of 1st Song emperor), court painter for Khubilai Khan, disloyal to China, "trader". Long haired (naturalistic)- deferential to authority (resistance to Mongol rule), preparing for attack lowering of horns. Inflated sheep (awkward)- proud, acceptance to Mongol rule.

Disc (Bi)

Zhou Dynasty Warring States period jade intricate carving- 2 serpentine dragons on outer rim (curvilinear lines), inhabit clouds roundness of disk- heaven found in a tomb (relic) example of a luxurious objects created for a funeral

Bowl

Zhou Dynasty Warring States period wood with lacquer (red and black), which prevented the wood from decaying (durable and long-lasting) preserved in tombs features alternate bands of red and black ground, long-tailed birds/dragons

Rhinoceros-shaped Wine Vessel (Zun)

Zhou Dynasty (Eastern Zhou) Warring States period bronze with gold inlay and glass eyes saddle- lid of vessel hole concealed in jaw has no handle so someone would have to hold it under its belly