Chapter 10 Art of China and Japan

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Chapter 10 Art of China and Japan
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The Birth of Buddhism

• Around 500 B.C. Northern India was little more
  than a battlefield of feuding kingdoms.
• During this period, Buddhism emerged.
• Founder Siddhartha Gautama, whose holiness and
  love for all creatures earned him widespread fame
  throughout India. In time he was called Budda
  or the Enlightened One

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The Beliefs of Buddhism

• He did not claim divine origin or receive
  inspiration from god(s).
• Practiced meditation, the act of focusing
  thoughts on a single object or idea.
• After his death in 483 B.C., temples were built
  in his honor and this spread throughout Asia.

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The Beliefs of Buddhism

• Buddhist believe in reincarnation. Like Hinduism,
  Buddhism believes that the soul returns to life
  in another form.
• Buddhist believe one must complete the cycle of
  reincarnation through the eight-fold path of
  enlightenment. When this has been done, one
  achieve Nirvana, or a blissful state free from
  all desires.

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Eightfold Path to Enlightenment

• 1. Right View Wisdom
• 2. Right Intention
• 3. Right Speech Ethical Conduct
• 4. Right Action
• 5. Right Livelihood
• 6. Right Effort Mental Development
• 7. Right Mindfulness
• 8. Right Concentration

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The Art Of China

• Chapter 10

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What We Need to Know

• Vocabulary
• Bodhisattva
• Scroll
• Porcelain
• Vanishing point

• Artist to Know
• Han Gan
• Kuo Hsi
• Qian Xuan
• Zhao Meng-fu

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Beginnings of Chinese Civilizations

• Began circa 2000 years before the birth of
  Christ.
• Considered the oldest continual culture in the
  world.
• Knowledge and innovations led to
• Compass
• Paper
• Porcelain
• Printing with carved wood blocks
• Kites
• Gun powder

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Early Bronze Vessels

• Metalworking, especially in bronze, develops
  throughout China. Tools, bells, and jewelry are
  among the earliest metal objects made. During the
  Shang dynasty (ca. 16001050 B.C.), a method of
  casting bronze using multiple ceramic molds is
  invented, resulting in the production of
  extraordinary ritual vessels intricately
  decorated in relief. This method, unique in the
  ancient world, requires time and precision, and
  the control of the raw materials, labor, and
  technology is one of the prerogatives of the
  ruling Shang elite. Initially, Shang
  bronzeworkers imitate ceramic shapes and
  decoration later in the dynasty, pottery begins
  to reflect the influence of bronze ware, albeit
  on a smaller scale. Jade carving is another
  innovation that artisans of the Shang dynasty
  develop into a sophisticated art.

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The Arrival of Buddhism during the Han Dynasty

• After the Shang dynasty came the Chow dynasty
  1030 B.C. with little artistic changes. This
  dynasty disintergrated into warring states and
  fragmented into the powerful Han dynasty 206 B.C.

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Han Dynasty and Buddhist Art

• End of the dynasty, the Buddhist religion came to
  China from India
• At this time, the Chinese people believed
  painting pictures an important and honorable
  task.
• Society had a high regard of artists
• Part of the belief to attain a state of
  enlightment

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Subjects in Buddhist Art

• Religious figures such as Bodhisattvas, or
  Budda-to-be, or Buddhist Saints.
• For more than a 1000 years, beginning with the
  Han Dynasty in 206 B.C., the human figure
  dominated in Chinese painting as it did in the
  west.

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Landscape and Scroll Painting

• By the 9th Century, artist began to exhibit in
  their work a greater appreciation for nature,
  this is evident in their landscape paintings. By
  the 11th century, the focus on landscape and not
  people was almost complete.
• Other than a few mural paintings, most of the
  antique paintings were either horizontal or
  vertical scroll paintings. A Scroll is a long
  roll of illustrated silk or parchment.

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Scroll examples
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The End of the Han Dynasty

• Culture of the Han Dynasty rivaled that of Roman
  Empire
• The Han Dynasty lasted over 400 years, the 2nd
  longest in Chinese history.
• Series of weak emperors brought the Han empire to
  end leaving several small states that were later
  taken over by the Tang dynasty in 618 A.D.

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The Powerful Tang Dynasty

• During the Tang dynasty, China reached its peak
  of power and influence
• Boundaries, trade, and the Buddhist religion grew
  in scope and strength

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Art of the Tang Dynasty

• Most sculpture produced religious figures of the
  Buddha

Seated Buddha, Tang dynasty (618906), ca.
650ChinaDry lacquer with traces of gilt and
polychrome pigments 38 x 27 in. (96.5 x 68.6
cm)Rogers Fund, 1919 (19.186)
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Tomb Sculptures

• These were created to honor the dead.
• Horses were highly valued for the military and
  for activities such as polo. The most prized
  horses were the tall and powerful breeds,
  descendents of the "dragon seed"
• imported from the West.
• The Tang dynasty began with 5,000 horses and 50
  years later boasted herds numbering 706,000.

Creation date 700sDynasty Tang dynastyMaterials
earthenware with lead glazeDimensions 26 x 27
in.Location Arthur R. Frances D. Baxter
GalleryCredit line Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Eli
Lilly
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Han Gan and Tang Handscroll

• Han Gan, a leading horse painter of the Tang
  dynasty (618906), was known for portraying not
  only the physical likeness of a horse but also
  its spirit. This painting, the most famous work
  attributed to the artist, is a portrait of
  Night-Shining White, a favorite charger of the
  emperor Xuanzong (r. 71256). The fiery-tempered
  steed, with its burning eye, flaring nostrils,
  and dancing hooves, epitomizes Chinese myths
  about imported "celestial steeds" that "sweat
  blood" and were really dragons in disguise.

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The Sung, 960-1279 AD

• Stable period in Chinese history
• During the Sung period, the production of
  porcelain, a fine grained, high-quality form of
  China. It was made from a rare type of white clay
  known as kaolin found is special parts of the
  world.
• Example on page 226 in The Art in Focus

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Use of Line

• One of the chief measures of excellence is
  quality of line.
• In Han Gans Night-Shining White painting
  Delicate use of line is combined with subtle
  value gradations to give a realistic appearance.

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Sculpture in the Sung Dynasty

• Figures were more informal and natural than those
  created earlier.
• This example was associated with mercy and
  compassion.

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Landscape painting

• Sung dynasty was noted for great landscape
  painters.
• The placed viewers in the landscape.
• Used multiple vanishing points