Chinese Art History

A LOOK AT

Traditional Chinese art would have a huge impact on its East Asian neighbors, and global respect for its achievements continues to this day.

TRADITIONAL CHINESE ART

Throughout most of Chinese art history, art was designed to represent the artist’s exceptional character rather than just his practical creative talents.

ROLE OF CHINESE ART

The ancient art of calligraphy – and it was surely an art for the ancient Chinese people – sought to exhibit exceptional control and ability by utilizing ink and brush.

CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY

Chinese artists painted on a variety of materials in a variety of forms. The most common formats were on walls, screens, boxes, and coffins, silk scrolls.

CHINESE PAINTING

Another well-known example of Chinese sculpting is the life-size Terracotta Army (c. 210 BCE).

CHINESE SCULPTING

The Chinese were ceramics and pottery masters. They made everything from substantial terracotta storage jars to finely designed porcelain bowls.

CHINESE POTTERY

Lacquer and Jade were possibly the most typical Chinese materials of the minor arts. Jade was highly valued in China because of its durability, scarcity, purity, and link with immortality.

MINOR CHINESE ARTS

NOTABLE EXAMPLES OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE ART

Court Ladies Adorning Their Hair with Flowers (c. 8th Century) Zhou Fang

#1

Five Oxen (c. 8th Century) Han Huang

#2

The Nymph of the Luo River (c. 10th Century) Gu Kaizhi

#3

Emperor Taizong Receiving the Tibetan Envoy (c. 14th Century) Yan Liben

#4

A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains (1113) Wang Ximeng

#5