Landscape paintings are one of the most famous artworks associated with China, and considered to be one of their greatest achievements (Shaw 1988, 183). Literati, who were amateur artists, painted the landscapes as a recreational activity in their free time. Despite being amateur artists, their landscapes were highly technical and very detailed. The paintings often depicted a separate world in which artists could reflect on themselves away from the bustle and turmoil of the city area (Little 2000, 363). Literati painted landscapes on hand scrolls and wall mount scrolls (Cotter 2017). Hand scrolls were smaller and resembled a panorama view of the landscape. Hands scrolls were especially effective in portraying the fluidity of a landscape. Wall …show more content…
Balance was a key aspect in creating the landscape paintings. The artists’ main goal was to create a wholesome piece that captured the characteristics of nature (“Chinese Paintings” 1920, 32). Therefore, balance was important to portray in the paintings. Artists’ achieved balance through the placement and variation of aspects. While the sides of the paintings were far from symmetrical, the busyness of each side was fairly equal, creating a balanced appearance. Size variation between features also created balance. Mountains were often the focal point of the paintings, and therefore painted very large in comparison to the other aspects (“Chinese Paintings” 1920, 30). By doing this, the artist balanced the focal point of the piece to the other smaller aspects that would be higher in quantity. Most paintings were simpler, in order to emphasize the vast atmosphere and balance the enormity of nature to the small piece painted (“Chinese Paintings” 1920, 30). The importance of landscape coverage equaled that of balance in the composition of the …show more content…
By capturing the spirit and essence of nature in a painting, the landscape could be appreciated from anywhere at any time, without having to venture out in order to experience it. The delight of being surrounded by nature that many were hindered from enjoying could be fulfilled with the painting, removing the impatient desire many carried to be out in nature (“Chinese Paintings” 1920, 28). Buddhists, who believed in avoiding desire as it is the cause of suffering, were able to enjoy the beauties of nature without sacrificing their beliefs in doing so. Despite Buddhists not retreating into nature to create the paintings, those who did learned this practice from
Nigamananda Das (2007) introduces the concept of ‘positive aesthetics’ which suggests that while ‘[a]rt-work may be good or bad, ugly or repulsive […] nature is all beautiful in its own way’ (p. 18). Positive aesthetics posits that ‘[a]ll [of] the natural world is beautiful’ and that the natural environment ‘so far as it is untouched by man’ (Das, 2007, p. 18). These untouched environments are ‘graceful, delicate, intense, unified, and orderly rather than blase, dull, insipid, incoherent, and chaotic.’ A problem for positive aesthetics is whether all parts of nature should be held as equally beautiful. Holding that all of nature is equally beautiful has a strong motive, since to suggest otherwise may seem to compromise the position of positive
I learned about many significant artwork and artist in this class. This class provided me with a better understanding of the history of the world Art, but also helped me understand the development of art style. However, among all of these precious pieces of artwork, there are two special ones that caught my attention: The Chinese Qin Terracotta Warriors and The Haniwa. Each of them represents the artist’s stylistic characteristics and cultural context. Although they represented different art of rulers, historical values, and scenes, there were visible similarities.
Walking into the Hall of the Buddhas, there was a sense of peace and guidance lingering inside me. The seated Bodhisattva, of the Northern Wei dynasty (386-534), CA.480, from the Yungang, Cave xv, Shani Province, made of sandstone, guarded the entrance. At first, I thought it was a time to be disciplined, but the transcending smile from the statue was a delicate fixed gesture that offered a feeling of welcome. It was not a place to confess your wrongdoings; neither was it a place for me to say, “Buddha I have sinned.” It was a room to purify the mind, the mind that we take for granted without giving it harmony. There was a large mural decorating the main wall called “The Paradise of Bhaishajyaguru”(916-1125). I sat down wandering if the artist of the portrait knew that his work would one day be shared on this side of the world, in my time. Much like Jesus Christ and his followers, the mural is a painting of healers and saviors. It was a large figure of the Buddha of medicine, (Bhaishajyaquru) surrounded by followers of Bodhisattvas, Avalokiteshvara, and Mahosthamaprapta with twelve guardian generals who have pledged to disseminate the Buddha’s teaching (Tradition of Liao 916-1125, Metropolitan Museum wall plaque).
Giorgione "loved to paint landscapes." Especially in "The Adoration of the shepherds" you can see how much effort he invested in painting a detailed background in form of a piece of coast and part of a village. When isolated this part takes on a life of its own (If concentrating you can see tiny details such as two persons standing at the edge of the coast.
The two artworks I decided to discuss are A thousand peaks and myriad ravines by Wang Hui for the Chinese artwork and View of Kojima Bay by Ike Taiga as the Japanese artwork. Both these share a few similarities including the subject of the artwork being the landscape and naturalism. In A thousand peaks and myriad ravines by Wang Hui you can notice very clear detailing and lining from the top trees of the mountains to the very small fishers and scholars portrayed towards the bottom and center of the artwork. Primarily, this artwork emphasizes the detail. The portrait is mostly taken up by the mountains and that around it. The range of colors used in this hanging scroll consist of the grey scale and a golden bronze done with a very thin brush.
It appears to me that pictures have been over-valued; held up by a blind admiration as ideal things, and almost as standards by which nature is to be judged rather than the reverse; and this false estimate has been sanctioned by the extravagant epithets that have been applied to painters, and "the divine," "the inspired," and so forth. Yet in reality, what are the most sublime productions of the pencil but selections of some of the forms of nature, and copies of a few of her evanescent effects, and this is the result, not of inspiration, but of long and patient study, under the instruction of much good sense…
Have you noticed that we feel a powerful desire to connect with nature during difficult times? Whether we are injured, depressed or sad our inclination towards nature increases. Patients in hospitals recover faster if they are in a room with a nice view. Why? Because nature is so pure and powerful that can restore our spirits and heal our bodies and minds. The beauty of nature has been praised in art, poetry, writings and films. Naturalists, poets and writers have documented the many benefits of spending time in nature. "Calypso Borealis" by Muir and "I wandered Lonely as a Cloud" by Wordsworth are two great pieces of literature where our hearts are filled with an indescribable emotion. John Muir and William Wordsworth express their relationship
Nature can keep its blissful purity untroubled in the moment, not convicted by what all society has brought into this world. Furthermore, many find nature as their safe place, the one place they can go too, and no one can interfere with their happiness. John Muir and William Wordsworth noticed the peaceful nature brought to their soul when traveling on their journey. Do not let your hands be weak, for you shall be rewarded.” – 2 Chronicles 15:7 John Muir and William Wordsworth both faced challenges to get to where they were going.
Landscape painting was extremely important during the middle of the nineteenth century. One of the leading practitioners of landscape painters in America was Thomas Cole. He visited many places seeking the “natural” world to which he might utilize his direct observations to convey the untainted nature by man to his audience. His works resolved to find goodness in American land and to help Americans take pride in their unique geological features created by God. Thomas Cole inspired many with his brilliant works by offering satisfaction to those seeking the “truth” (realism) through the works of others.
From the creation of art to its modern understanding, artists have strived to perform and perfect a photo realistic painting with the use of complex lines, blend of colors, and captivating subjects. This is not the case anymore due to the invention of the camera in 1827, since it will always be the ultimate form of realism. Due to this, artists had the opportunities to branch away from the classical formation of realism, and venture into new forms such as what is known today as modern art. In the examination of two well known artists, Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock, we can see that the artist doesn’t only intend for the painting to be just a painting, but more of a form of telling a scene through challenging thoughts, and expressing of the artists emotion in their creation.
He seemed being more focus on the use of personal expressionism at that time. In line with an academic article written by Zhang Hongyuan, he mentioned that he could easily found the uses of Van Gogh's passionate style of personal expressionism, and a sense of rustic simplicity that always performed by Miller in Zhang’s painting “Cloud” . He also stated that Zhang’s style of passionate Expressionism has been changed into a rational and calm style at the use of "old photo" schema art collections, which is a significant transmutation of his painting style. Focusing on this painting, it gives people a kind of mysterious feeling, pure, sincere through its color performance. We can see the awakening of youths, their realization of dim and hazy future, the sexual desire and the reverie, which shown the monologue of Zhang’s heart and the life Hymn. Hang said that it is a “a force of soul." Zhang’s painting “Cloud” is formed by triangular composition. We can see three youngsters are lying on the ground with grass and they fill almost 80% of the picture, which form a strong sense of instability. Zhang used rough black lines to outline the large cloths. And this painting is mainly in brown, which bring a sense of unusual. Also, he used a strong dynamic coarsening to draw the sky and clouds in the background, therefore, the horse, the sheep and the horizontal black slopes created a calm sense and contained a
Although this extremely close connection of the individual with nature, the basic principle of Japanese gardens, has remained the constant throughout its history, the ways in which this principle has come to be expressed has undergone many great changes. Perhaps the most notable occurred in the very distinct periods in Japanese history that popularized unique forms of garden style—Heian (781-1185), and the Kamakura (1186-1393). Resulting from these two golden ages of Japanese history came the stroll garden from the former period and the Zen garden from the latter. As we shall see, the composition of these gardens was remarkably effected by the norms of architecture and the ideals of popular religion in these eras. Therefore, in understanding each garden style in its context, it is essential to also take into account the social, historical, and theological elements as well as the main stylistic differences.
It is intriguing how Emerson determines the purpose of natural beauty he does this by writing “The health of the eye seems to demand a horizon. We are never tired so long as we can see far enough” (945). We depend on nature to balance out our lives. Nature gives us the views necessary to achieve
With Cole, landscape painting took on a stature in America like that which history painting traditionally possessed in Europe. He was able to “transfer the heroic aims of history painters to the landscape category, where at ...
...d landscape materials in the galleries. Some of the large land art works can only be accurately enjoyed from some height by a plane or so. According to opponents, an art work should be open for every class of society. As viewing a large land art piece from the air is beyond the reach of poor person. But photographs are the best option to represent the huge and unreachable land artworks.