Introduction
Art has continually been a reflection of the times and lifestyle in which it is created. The social background, economic outlook, and way of thinking of artists are all influential elements that form the development of painting in a specific era. When evaluating Chinese and Western painting, we can study variations and frequent traits in a range of elements such as subject content, expression of space, and portrayal of human figures. This paper indicates that Chinese and Western paintings are affected by their history, culture, and philosophy. This can be considered in matters like the subject matter, the way space is shown, how human beings are drawn, and how colours are used. Even though there are some similarities and variations between the two cultures, they both exhibit how the aesthetics, techniques, and philosophical thoughts of the time and place in which they were made were different.
Analysis of the Two Paintings (“The Death of Socrates” and “Looking for Plum”)
One remarkable instance of Western painting is “The Death of Socrates” by French painter David de la Dentia, painted in 1787[1]. The oil painting depicts the moment when Socrates is taking poison in jail after being sentenced to death. Socrates is placed in the middle of the painting, exposing his skinny body and robust will. His raised left-hand gestures passionately as he continues to explain his views and opinions to his disciples. At the same time, he calmly extends his right hand to receive the cup of poison from his disciples, facing death without fear. Each figure in the painting shows distinct emotional expressions, with some crying and others acting sombre. This work displays the Western Renaissance belief in the centrality of people in the world. The practical strategies used by the painter to portray the human body highlight the splendour of the human form, aligning with the Western aesthetics that emphasize the person and the human body itself.
On the other hand, “Looking for Plum” by Qiu Ying, a Ming Dynasty painter, represents traditional Chinese painting[2]. The painting depicts two women looking for poetry and incense in a plum blossom backyard in the course of early spring. The two figures are shown in a much less prominent position, seemingly searching for the path of plum blossoms. Traditional Chinese portraits, specifically those from the Ming Dynasty, are recognised for their technical excellence. The clothing and jewellery styles, as well as the gestures of the figures, are simply portrayed in the painting. However, unlike Western painting, the eyes, expressions, and thoughts of the figures are comparable and do not aggressively stare at the viewer. This is due to the fact historical Chinese agricultural society did not emphasize character personality and personal emotional expression in the same way as Western painting after the Renaissance. Traditional Chinese painting regularly depicts collective character and focuses on the harmony of the general composition, rather than individualism.
Despite these differences, Western and Chinese art work share numerous traits in common that make them related to one another in numerous distinctive ways. The compositions “The Death of Socrates” and “Looking for Plum” both have a melody that is calm and straightforward, steering clear of extravagant or complex orchestration. These two pieces share quite a few traits, one of which is this precise aspect. In addition, the form of the paintings in both of these traditions is marked by meticulous and meticulous craftsmanship, which attracts focus to the grandiosity of the artefacts themselves. Additionally, the use of colour in both Chinese and Western artwork tends to resemble the natural hue of the objects that are being painted, except for massive adjustments that are based on the impact of various sorts of light sources or ambient situations. This is the case even when there are enormous variations between the two patterns of painting. Even though the natural colour of the things being painted would possibly be considerably different relying on the conditions, this is nonetheless the case.
Paintings from China and the West can be distinctive from one another by several different key traits that can be determined in addition to the differences and similarities that have been described before in this section. These traits can be determined in paintings from both regions. The historical, cultural, and philosophical influences that have been exerted on both of these traditions are confirmed by the multiple patterns and processes that each of them employs. The traditions have advanced into their modern form as a direct result of these various influences. Traditional Chinese paintings, for example, commonly mix aspects of Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism as a reflection of the religious and philosophical thoughts that are widespread in Chinese society. This is performed for a range of reasons, inclusive of the fact that these religions all performed an essential position in the improvement of Chinese society. The records of ancient China might also keep some clues to the foundation of these notions. Calligraphy, which is regularly integrated with the painting itself as a technique of expression, is given a substantial amount of weight in Chinese painting as well, making it one of the most vital factors of this art form[3]. This is because calligraphy is often included as an approach to expression in Chinese paintings. This is because calligraphy is frequently covered in artwork as a manner of portraying the subject matter of the painting itself. On the other hand, Western artwork has been impacted by a huge range of aesthetic movements, together with the Renaissance, Baroque, Romanticism, and Impressionism, as well as a large number of other movements as well. Each of these movements is related to a distinct painting style that is exemplified by its one-of-a-kind approach, in addition to a broad range of painting strategies and subject subjects.
The thought of space is additionally surprisingly distinctive in Western and Chinese art, which is yet another substantial distinction between the two special faculties of painting. The idea of space is often communicated in Chinese painting through the use of blank space, additionally recognized as “empty centre” or “blank space in the painting,” which encourages the viewer’s creativeness to fill in the blanks and become an active participant in the method of producing the artwork. The Chinese philosophy of leaving room for the interpretation of the spectator and permitting the artwork to provoke ideas and thoughts past what is expressly proven can also be located in this method, which exhibits the philosophy. This approach additionally permits the paintings to stimulate ideas and thoughts past what is expressly displayed. This method illustrates the Chinese philosophical principle of leaving leeway for the interpretation of the observer, which is additionally confirmed by the approach.
On the other hand, Western artwork tends to stress the portrayal of space in a manner that is more accurate to reality. This tendency may additionally be traced back to the Renaissance period[4]. This is executed through the regular use of linear perspectives, in addition to a broad range of different ways, to create the impression of depth and three-dimensionality in the topics that are portrayed. In Western painting, it is a popular exercise to make use of the concept of space to set up a sense of realism as well as spatial coherence in one’s work. This is completed by directing the viewer’s interest to the painting’s foreground and background while concurrently setting up a sense of depth. Both of these dreams can be achieved by drawing the interest of the observer, in turn, to the image’s foreground and then to the historical past of the scene.
When compared to Western painting, common Chinese painting takes a very unique method to the thought of time than Western painting. This distinction in the method can be considered most certainly when evaluating the two styles. In traditional Chinese painting, it is a typical exercise to create the illusion that the issue of the painting is not limited by the passage of time. The cause for this is that the images that are shown in a Chinese painting are not constantly linked to a precise moment or incident, but rather express the spirit of a season or a mood. This is one of the reasons why Chinese artwork is so popular. The concept that the past, the present, and the future are all intertwined is something that is often communicated through the artistic style recognised as Chinese painting[5].
In contrast, Western painting commonly emphasizes the notion of linear time, and as a result, it indicates a specific moment or incident inside the context of a story. This is executed to emphasize the passage of time. The narratives that are depicted in Western artwork generally have a distinct beginning, middle, and finish, which approves the artwork to deliver a sense that the occasions they exhibit are progressing or changing[6]. It is a common exercise in Western creative traditions to tell tales or bring a sense of history by embracing the notion of linear time, which is firmly set up in these traditions. This can be carried out for a range of purposes, which includes telling tales or transmitting a feeling of history. This is carried out for various reasons, one of which is because it is less complicated to carry out.
In addition, the techniques and resources that are used in Western painting and Chinese painting are extraordinarily distinct from one another and considerably contrast with one another. These variations can be attributed to the fact that both styles of painting originated on contrary sides of the globe. Silk or paper is often used as the support for traditional Chinese paintings, and the methods of line and wash are given main importance. Landscapes or people’s faces are regularly depicted as the focus of a common Chinese painting’s composition[7]. The essential goal here is not to faithfully duplicate the subject matter in all of its particulars; rather, the important focus is on capturing the spirit or essence of the subject matter. On the other hand, Western painting frequently entails painting with oil on canvas, emphasizing colour and texture and often involves paying remarkable attention to details and conveying matters in a manner that is as practical as it is viable to be.
It is a common understanding that painters from both the Western world and China have a long culture of including substantial religious and spiritual subject matters in their artwork. The symbiotic link between human beings and the environment, as well as the quest for peace and harmony, are distinguished subjects in Chinese paintings, which often comprise components of Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism in their compositions[8]. In addition, the pursuit of peace and equilibrium is a famous theme. On the other hand, Christianity has been a substantial force in the improvement of artwork in Western civilization, and this has been due in large part to its influence. The prevailing religious values and cultural requirements of Western civilizations are meant to be mirrored in Western paintings, for this reason, Western paintings normally include religious topics and motifs. These paintings are an example of the Western tradition of painting.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the subject matter, the representation of space, and the depiction of human beings in artwork from China and the West both show individual aspects while also sharing some similarities in several vital areas. The various social histories, monetary outlooks, cultural influences, and philosophical thoughts that are related to each tradition all make their contributions to the formation of these distinctions and similarities. When compared to Western painting, which tends to place a focus on individualism, personal expression, and sensible techniques, Chinese painting tends to emphasize collective personality, harmony, and specific detail. This is in contrast to Western painting, which tends to emphasize individualism. When compared to Western painting, which commonly focuses an emphasis on individualism, this takes a more collectivist approach. Despite these distinctions, both faculties of painting have their distinct aesthetics, techniques, and artistic inspirations that have each performed an extensive position in the evolution of portray throughout its history. These faculties of painting have made widespread contributions to the improvement of painting in the course of history.
Bibliography
Cao, Cheng. Merging Past and Future Forms: Qi Baishi’s Landscape Painting. Maryland Institute College of Art, 2014.
Clunas, Craig. Chinese painting and its audiences. Vol. 61. Princeton University Press, 2017.
Lanci, Gloria. “Seeing, Representing, Performing.” In Art Maps and Cities: Contemporary Artists Explore Urban Spaces, pp. 41-84. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2022.
Müller-Yao, Marguerite Hui. The influence of Chinese calligraphy on Western Informel painting. 2015.
Wang, Chia-Ling. “Learning from and for one another: An inquiry on symbiotic learning.” Educational Philosophy and Theory 51, no. 11 (2019): 1164-1172.
Welch, Andrew James. “Romantic Ends: Death and Dying, 1776-1835.” PhD diss., Loyola University Chicago, 2017.
Williams, Emily R. Collecting the revolution: British engagements with Chinese Cultural Revolution material culture. Rowman & Littlefield, 2022.
Xu, Li Da, Eric L. Xu, and Ling Li. “Industry 4.0: state of the art and future trends.” International journal of production research 56, no. 8 (2018): 2941-2962.
Appendix
Painting 1: “The Death of Socrates” by French painter David de la Dentia in 1787.
Painting 2: “Looking for Plum” by Qiu Ying, a Ming Dynasty painter
[1] Welch, Andrew James. “Romantic Ends: Death and Dying, 1776-1835.” PhD diss., Loyola University Chicago, 2017.
[2] Clunas, Craig. Chinese painting and its audiences. Vol. 61. Princeton University Press, 2017.
[3] Müller-Yao, Marguerite Hui. The influence of Chinese calligraphy on Western Informel painting. 2015.
[4] Lanci, Gloria. “Seeing, Representing, Performing.” In Art Maps and Cities: Contemporary Artists Explore Urban Spaces, pp. 41-84. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2022.
[5] Xu, Li Da, Eric L. Xu, and Ling Li. “Industry 4.0: state of the art and future trends.” International journal of production research 56, no. 8 (2018): 2941-2962.
[6] Williams, Emily R. Collecting the revolution: British engagements with Chinese Cultural Revolution material culture. Rowman & Littlefield, 2022.
[7] Cao, Cheng. Merging Past and Future Forms: Qi Baishi’s Landscape Painting. Maryland Institute College of Art, 2014.
[8] Wang, Chia-Ling. “Learning from and for one another: An inquiry on symbiotic learning.” Educational Philosophy and Theory 51, no. 11 (2019): 1164-1172.
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