Collecting Antique Chinese Art
The history of collecting chinese artifacts is one with a rich history, as the Chinese have been one of the biggest collectors of art in the world for hundreds of years. With their great success in collecting this particular type of art, they soon found themselves emulating the art of the Egyptians and the Romans. In particular, during the time of the Later Qing Dynasty, there was a great demand for this style of art from the Chinese royal family.
Chinese art has been described as flowing, bold patterns which are often combined with elements of animals, nature, human expressions, and Zen. This type of art movement started during the Song Dynasty, from which it moved on to the Five Dynasties Period. It moved away from the heavy brushstrokes that characterized earlier Chinese art movements and towards more geometrical forms. This new style was characterized by the use of complex colors, like blue and red mixed together, along with rays of light which highlighted the designs. One of the most famous works by this Chinese art movement is the "Bamboo Painting", which still exists today, at least in part.
Another very important early work that also bears a strong resemblance to the still life painting is the "Mandarin Miniature", a work that predates the installation of the Great Wall of China by the twelve flags of the Chinese revolution. This miniature painting had only small leaves of paper, perhaps a century earlier, and so is difficult to tell if it really does contain a still life scene or not. The similarity between this work and the still life painting can be seen in the use of similar colors, such as green and blue. Should you wish to know more about Chinese art, check out this site: weisbrodcollection.com.
The still-life painting was not left alone in its day but was heavily influenced by the artists of the later Dynasty of Qi and the Yin Dynasty. These movements formed the basis for the "Mandarin" style of art, which came from the Jingdezhen style of Chinese art. The Jingdezhen art movement actually started in earnest during the last decade before the fifth century AD. It was led by Liping, who redefined the way Chinese art was to be done. He introduced a new system of complex brushstrokes which was to be used in Chinese art.
In general, Liiping's influence on the Chinese art movement can be seen in the styles adopted in the wall paintings and in the works of the artists of the Jingdezhen style. The most representative works of this time are the still life with bamboo and the portrait of a monkey. Another important work of his was the Book of Zodiac, which had nothing to do with the art movement. But its publication and the enthusiasm which it received marked its place in Chinese history. An extremely complex and beautiful portrait of the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty, a rare and wonderful work, was found in the library of the Imperial City University.
Another very important work in the archives of the Imperial City University is the Cotton Dolls, which had a major role in popularizing the revival of Chinese art during the Qing Dynasty. The Dolls were one of the largest and most successful attempts at a cultural revival in China. Another important early work of this revivalist painter is the painting entitled Dragon and Tiger, which feature in the Bi Weiying (Bianghui) Chinese painting series. A very colorful and lively still life, it is also notable for its extravagant use of colors. Check out this post for more content related to this article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_art.
