10.1 Qing dynasty court painting and imperial workshops

The Qing dynasty saw a flourishing of court painting and imperial workshops. The Qianlong Emperor, a major patron of the arts, commissioned works that blended Chinese and Western styles. Court painters like Giuseppe Castiglione created portraits and murals showcasing the power of the Qing court.

Imperial workshops produced a wide range of decorative arts, including innovative yangcai porcelain. These workshops employed skilled artisans who created intricate works for the emperor and court. The period also saw the rise of individualist painters who rejected formal conventions in favor of more expressive styles.

Imperial Court Art

The Qianlong Emperor's Patronage of the Arts

• The Qianlong Emperor (r. 1735-1796) was a major patron of the arts during the Qing dynasty
  • Commissioned numerous paintings, porcelains, and other works of art
  • Aimed to showcase the power and grandeur of the Qing court
  • Sought to incorporate both Chinese and Western artistic styles
• The emperor employed a number of court painters, including the Italian Jesuit Giuseppe Castiglione (Lang Shining)
  • Castiglione blended Western techniques such as linear perspective and chiaroscuro with traditional Chinese painting styles
  • Created portraits of the emperor, imperial family members, and court officials (Portrait of the Qianlong Emperor in Ceremonial Armor)
  • Also painted large-scale murals and trompe l'oeil works in the European style (murals in the Juanqinzhai theater in the Forbidden City)

Court Painting Styles and Subjects

• Court paintings during the Qing dynasty often depicted imperial rituals, hunts, and military victories
  • Aimed to glorify the emperor and the Qing state
  • Examples include the "Portraits of Meritorious Statesmen" series and the "Ten Great Campaigns" handscrolls
• Court painters also produced bird-and-flower paintings, landscapes, and religious works
  • Often incorporated Western techniques such as shading and perspective
  • Reflected the Qing court's fascination with exotic plants and animals (Immortal Blossoms in an Everlasting Spring)
• The style of court painting during this period is known as Qing academicism
  • Characterized by a high level of technical skill, attention to detail, and adherence to established conventions
  • Contrasted with the more expressive and individualistic styles of non-court painters

Imperial Workshops and Decorative Arts

• The Qing court maintained a system of imperial workshops that produced a wide range of decorative arts
  • Included porcelain, lacquerware, textiles, and metalwork
  • Employed highly skilled artisans who created works for the emperor and the court
• Yangcai ("foreign colors") porcelain was a major innovation of the Qing imperial workshops
  • Used a palette of enamel colors that were fired at a lower temperature than traditional underglaze blue
  • Allowed for a wider range of colors and more detailed designs (Vase with Flowers and Rockery)
• The imperial workshops also produced trompe l'oeil porcelains that imitated other materials such as wood, bamboo, and bronze
  • Reflected the Qing court's fascination with illusionistic effects and technical virtuosity
  • Examples include the "Bamboo-Shaped Vase with Decoration of Bamboo and Plum Blossoms" and the "Vase in the Shape of a Bronze Ritual Vessel"

Decorative Arts

Yangcai Porcelain

• Yangcai porcelain, also known as "foreign colors" porcelain, was a major development in Qing dynasty ceramics
  • Used a palette of enamel colors that were fired at a lower temperature than traditional underglaze blue
  • Allowed for a wider range of colors and more detailed designs
  • Often featured Western-style shading and perspective
• Yangcai porcelain was produced in the imperial kilns at Jingdezhen
  • Required a high level of technical skill and artistic expertise
  • Used for a variety of forms, including vases, bowls, and plates (Vase with Flowers and Rockery)
• Yangcai porcelain often depicted bird-and-flower scenes, landscapes, and figural subjects
  • Reflected the Qing court's fascination with nature and exotic imagery
  • Examples include the "Vase with Flowers and Birds" and the "Dish with Phoenix and Peonies"

Bird-and-Flower Painting

• Bird-and-flower painting was a popular genre in Qing dynasty art
  • Depicted birds, flowers, and other natural subjects in a highly detailed and realistic style
  • Often incorporated symbolic meanings and literary allusions
• Court painters such as Zou Yigui and Bian Shoumin specialized in bird-and-flower painting
  • Used a combination of ink and color to create vivid and lifelike images
  • Examples include Zou Yigui's "Hundred Flowers" and Bian Shoumin's "Lotus and Mandarin Ducks"
• Bird-and-flower painting was also a popular subject for decorative arts such as porcelain and lacquerware
  • Yangcai porcelain often featured bird-and-flower scenes (Vase with Flowers and Birds)
  • Lacquerware and other decorative arts also incorporated bird-and-flower motifs

Trompe l'Oeil

• Trompe l'oeil, or "deceive the eye," was a popular artistic technique in Qing dynasty decorative arts
  • Used illusionistic effects to create the impression of three-dimensional objects on a flat surface
  • Often imitated other materials such as wood, bamboo, and bronze
• The imperial workshops produced a wide range of trompe l'oeil porcelains
  • Included vases, bowls, and other forms that mimicked the appearance of other materials
  • Examples include the "Bamboo-Shaped Vase with Decoration of Bamboo and Plum Blossoms" and the "Vase in the Shape of a Bronze Ritual Vessel"
• Trompe l'oeil was also used in lacquerware and other decorative arts
  • Lacquer boxes and screens often featured illusionistic effects that mimicked the appearance of wood, stone, or other materials
  • Examples include the "Lacquer Box with Design of Bamboo and Rocks" and the "Lacquer Screen with Design of Flowers and Birds"

Individualist Painting

The Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou

• The Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou were a group of individualist painters who worked in the city of Yangzhou during the 18th century
  • Included artists such as Jin Nong, Huang Shen, Li Shan, and Luo Ping
  • Known for their unconventional and expressive painting styles
  • Rejected the formal conventions of court painting in favor of more personal and spontaneous approaches
• The Eight Eccentrics often depicted mundane subjects such as flowers, vegetables, and everyday objects
  • Used exaggerated brushwork and bold colors to create vivid and expressive images
  • Examples include Jin Nong's "Flowers and Vegetables" and Huang Shen's "Donkey and Monkey"
• The Eight Eccentrics were influential in the development of individualist painting in China
  • Inspired later generations of artists to explore more personal and expressive styles
  • Helped to broaden the range of acceptable subjects and techniques in Chinese painting

Individualist Painters and Their Styles

• Individualist painters in the Qing dynasty sought to express their personal feelings and experiences through their art
  • Rejected the formal conventions of court painting in favor of more spontaneous and expressive approaches
  • Often used exaggerated brushwork, bold colors, and unconventional compositions
• Zheng Xie (Zheng Banqiao) was a prominent individualist painter known for his bamboo paintings
  • Used a calligraphic brushstroke to create expressive and dynamic images of bamboo
  • Believed that painting should be a direct expression of the artist's inner spirit (Bamboo and Rock)
• Gao Fenghan was another important individualist painter
  • Known for his paintings of flowers, grasses, and insects
  • Used a loose and spontaneous brushstroke to create vivid and lifelike images
  • Believed that painting should capture the essence of the subject rather than just its appearance (Flowers and Grasses)
• Other notable individualist painters included Hua Yan, Gao Qipei, and Yun Shouping
  • Each developed their own unique styles and approaches to painting
  • Helped to expand the range of acceptable subjects and techniques in Chinese art