Traditional Chinese Painting Research Articles

A Study on the Reproduction of Traditional Chinese Painting Techniques and Their Innovation under Digital Transformation

Abstract After a long period of development and evolution, Chinese painting has formed a set of regular artistic language, which highlights the national characteristics of Chinese painting and is an important factor distinguishing it from other works of art. As the main characteristic of Chinese painting, this paper analyzes the traditional techniques of Chinese painting according to the three characteristics of Chinese painting: line, ink, and color, and analyzes the language of programed techniques. Then the method of digital reproduction of traditional techniques of Chinese painting is proposed and elaborated with the example of “The Western Garden of Elegant Gathering”. Subsequently, for the complexity of hand movement recognition of Chinese painting techniques, this paper proposes a sample splitting and re-fusion algorithm RCF based on sEMG to optimize the hand movement signals and construct a hand movement recognition model based on surface EMG signals. Through empirical analysis, the SVM classifier used in this paper has an average recognition correctness rate of 98%, which is 6% and 3% higher than BP and LDA, respectively. Meanwhile, the recognition accuracy of the hand movements of the eight techniques is all above 95%, with an average recognition accuracy of 98.5%. The mean value of all five indicators of the experience evaluation of Chinese painting techniques reproduction and innovation exceeded 4 points, and the overall average score was 4.542, indicating that the experiencers were very satisfied with the experience of Chinese painting techniques reproduction to innovation in this paper. The research of this paper provides theoretical and technical guidance for the reproduction and innovation of traditional Chinese painting techniques, as well as ideas for the organic combination of digital technology and traditional Chinese paintings.

A Comparison of Perspective in Chinese and Western Traditional Painting and the Philosophical Thought behind It

A Comparison of Perspective in Chinese and Western Traditional Painting and the Philosophical Thought behind It

The Role of Traditional Chinese Painting Course in Hexi University

According to the course nature, teaching purpose, teaching content, teaching hours and teaching methods of traditional Chinese painting course in Hexi University, this paper expounds the value and significance of traditional Chinese painting course in Hexi University. As the essence of Chinese traditional culture, Chinese painting has its unique significance. The course of Chinese painting in Hexi University not only carries forward Chinese traditional culture, but also cultivates students' aesthetic interest and moral sentiment. In addition, it can also enable students to understand the history of the development of Chinese painting, which plays an important role in cultivating students' professional skills, improving their professional level, and laying a solid professional foundation for graduation and employment in the future.

The Transformation of Traditional Chinese Painting Elements in Modern Design Contexts

Abstract To ensure the effective preservation and evolution of traditional painting art, it is imperative to integrate contemporary art design concepts and methodologies. This paper focuses on the reconstruction of traditional Chinese painting elements, distilling and adapting its pattern, ink, and calligraphy components into a modern design framework. Specifically, the features of the pattern elements are identified and transformed using a feature point extraction algorithm combined with K-Means clustering. For ink and calligraphy elements, a fusion of self-attention mechanisms and Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) facilitates the stylistic migration and conversion of these elements through the construction of distinct discriminators. Subsequent evaluation of the transformed painting elements utilized Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) within a contemporary design context, aiming to assess the practical value of traditional painting elements in modern design. The findings indicate that the clarity of information (C1) and its accuracy and efficacy (C3) in the context of contemporary design achieved importance scores exceeding 3.6. Furthermore, the satisfaction scores for modeling (C10), color (C11), and imagery (C12) each surpassed 3.5, denoting a high level of satisfaction in the IPA of their conversion. The study enriches traditional artistic methods and conceptualizations, thereby enhancing their cultural depth and significance.

Image reconstruction of traditional Chinese painting works based on depth learning

Image reconstruction of traditional Chinese painting works based on depth learning

ScrollTimes: Tracing the Provenance of Paintings as a Window Into History.

The study of cultural artifact provenance, tracing ownership and preservation, holds significant importance in archaeology and art history. Modern technology has advanced this field, yet challenges persist, including recognizing evidence from diverse sources, integrating sociocultural context, and enhancing interactive automation for comprehensive provenance analysis. In collaboration with art historians, we examined the handscroll, a traditional Chinese painting form that provides a rich source of historical data and a unique opportunity to explore history through cultural artifacts. We present a three-tiered methodology encompassing artifact, contextual, and provenance levels, designed to create a "Biography" for handscroll. Our approach incorporates the application of image processing techniques and language models to extract, validate, and augment elements within handscroll using various cultural heritage databases. To facilitate efficient analysis of non-contiguous extracted elements, we have developed a distinctive layout. Additionally, we introduce ScrollTimes, a visual analysis system tailored to support the three-tiered analysis of handscroll, allowing art historians to interactively create biographies tailored to their interests. Validated through case studies and expert interviews, our approach offers a window into history, fostering a holistic understanding of handscroll provenance and historical significance.

The creativity of Liu Haisu (1896–1994), a chinese painting classic, as an example of synthesis between gohua painting and western european art

Guohua, classical Chinese painting, has not lost its significance and is part of the modern art of the PRC. Liu Haisu, a Chinese artist and teacher, combined the laws of guohua and European art in his work. Basing on these principles, he sought to reform art education in China. He is considered one of the iconic figures in the history of the fine arts of the Celestial Empire, but his personality is little known in Russian art history. This paper focuses on the creativity pathway of Liu Haisu, the outcome of which was return to mainstream traditional Chinese guohua painting. It is the first work that systematizes and introduces to the research community foreign publications about Liu Haisu, which are practically unknown in Russia. Studying these sources makes it possible to understand what principles the modern art of the PRC is based on, the genesis of which is analyzed from the standpoint of Liu Haisu’s career as a painter. The paper explores the painter’s creativity heritage, representing a synthesis between Eastern and Western approaches to fine arts.

The course teaching of rock color painting technique

Rock color painting is a kind of traditional painting in China, which has strong cultural heritage and artistic charm, and has attracted wide attention for its unique charm and artistic expression. The teaching of rock painting techniques is an important part of rock painting education. It aims to inherit and develop traditional Chinese painting skills, cultivate students' understanding of rock painting and creative ability, and guide students to master the basic techniques and expression techniques of rock painting through systematic teaching arrangements and practical operations to make them show individuality and innovation in creation and cultivate their unique sense and understanding of beauty. The purpose of this paper is to explore the teaching methods and strategies of rock painting techniques course, so as to improve students' understanding and application ability of rock painting techniques and promote the inheritance and innovative development of traditional Chinese painting techniques.

Study on the Symbol of Chinese Copper Pheasant in Court Painting in Song Dynasty

Chinese traditional painting is divided into palace painting, literati painting and painters painting according to class.In the Song Dynasty,the palace painting was mostly assigned by the emperor himself. In addition to the fine and beautiful royal aesthetic interest, the political meaning behind it was also the content of the palace painting.It is the most commonly used technique in Chinese literature and art, which is also a means to give political moral to court painting in Song Dynasty. Behind the symbols of the objects in the palace paintings of the Song Dynasty are the political meanings expressed by the rulers at that time.The emperor,for some reason, flaunted or warned them through paintings.The symbol of Chinese copper pheasant contains profound social culture and folk culture, which can fully reflect the cultural characteristics of Song Dynasty. This paper explores the meaning of Chinese copper pheasant symbol and better understands the deep meaning behind the image. It is helpful to study the flower and bird painting in Song Dynasty and provide a new perspective for the study of court flower and bird painting in Song Dynasty.

Typologising formal school-to-school collaborations—education collectives—in China through the metaphor of Chinese landscape painting

ABSTRACTIn China, formal school groupings known as ‘education collectives’ have become one of the most common forms of school-to-school collaboration, promoted by policymakers to narrow the achievement gap between schools and optimise resource allocation. Previous research has focused on the purposes and achievements of education collectives rather than their structural diversity. This article seeks to address this gap by typologising education collectives in China. We map the landscape of education collectives, illuminating how school-to-school collaboration and education collectivisation have been promoted and operationalised in China. To achieve this, we employ the metaphor of traditional Chinese landscape painting as a methodological tool. Through this, we promote a deeper understanding of the cultural and psychological roots of school-to-school collaboration in China. We conceptualise education collectives from three perspectives inspired by the features of landscape painting: power relations, legal status, and external institutional engagement. These three dimensions also illuminate the homogeneity, exclusion and unsustainability that the education collective may encounter in their development process. This typology places education collectives within the broader policy context of Chinese basic education and system reform and offers insights into the diversity of network and partnership structures among inter-school collaborations.

Wang Shu’s promenade of strolling in shan-shui and its dialogue with Le Corbusier’s concept

ABSTRACT The architectural promenade, developed by Le Corbusier, is also a significant design concept in the contemporary architectural works of Wang Shu. This paper focused on Wang Shu’s and Le Corbusier’s promenade concepts aiming to illustrate how Wang’s promenade of strolling in Shan-shui establishes a cross-cultural dialogue with Le Corbusier’s theory. These two promenade approaches appear to have emerged from distinct historical and cultural contexts, with Le Corbusier’s approach rooted in Western modernism and Wang’s approach reflecting the aesthetics of traditional Chinese landscape painting. Seemingly unrelated, a thorough case analysis of Le Corbusier’s Villa La Roche and Wang’s Ningbo Tengtou Pavilion unveiled commonalities in creating picturesque spaces and spatial movement. Furthermore, both promenade approaches trigger discussions on architecture. Whereas Le Corbusier’s architectural promenade facilitated the creation of “new” architecture, Wang was inspired by Le Corbusier’s way of thinking, but aimed to “rebuild a kind of Chinese vernacular architecture” in response to the status quo of China’s urban architectural development. Wang Shu’s promenade opens a spectrum between traditional landscape painting and Le Corbusier’s ideas, showcasing a fusion of influences and inspirations from diverse cultural contexts, while also contributing to an understanding of the integration of Eastern and Western architecture in contemporary discourse.

“Formula of Water” in the Iconography of Landscape Painting in Medieval China

The theme of the sea in traditional Chinese painting is associated with the last decades of the development of the country’s artistic life, in particular with painting on the theme of the sea and ocean. The aim of the study is to determine the peculiarities of the embodiment of the image of the sea element in Chinese painting of the Middle Ages as a basis for the development of the marina genre in modern art. In the works of masters of the Song (960—1279), Yuan (1271—1368) and Ming (1368—1644) dynasties one can notice the repetition and interpretation of those “formulas” used by painters in medieval China. Such “formulas” are the established ways of depicting water surfaces with pen and ink, formed during the Song dynasty and developed in the Yuan and Ming eras until the seventeenth century. Particular emphasis is placed on the systematization of schemes for the embodiment of the sea in different states in Ma Yuan’s work, their sources, and how they were embodied and transformed by painters in subsequent periods. The use of schemes for depicting water made it possible to achieve the effect of dynamism. This was conditioned, among other things, by the specificity of artistic tools and materials used by masters, who had in their arsenal scarce artistic means. The artists endeavoured to invent and form their own method of execution for each theme. The article has theoretical and practical value. It supplements the history of the development of landscape painting in ancient China by analysing the origin and formation of the previously little-studied motif, which in the space of Chinese painting of the 20th — 21st centuries has taken a strong position.

Rebranding China through facsimiles: A study of mubanshuiyin reproductions in PRC’s art diplomacy and soft power building, 1952–79

In September 2022, China Central Television released a five-episode documentary about Rongbaozhai, one of the oldest stationery companies and art galleries in China, to celebrate its 350th anniversary. This was part of the global propaganda aiming to reintroduce traditional Chinese cultural brands and their products under Xi’s art and culture policy of ‘telling China’s stories well’. One of the episodes is dedicated to the woodblock facsimiles of traditional Chinese paintings (mubanshuiyin) that Rongbaozhai produced in the 1950s and 1960s following Mao’s literature and art policy. However, the perspective of the storytelling is almost entirely focused on technical details. Little has been mentioned about these exquisitely crafted prints’ political function as specimens to demonstrate PRC’s cultural orthodoxy to traditional Chinese arts and crafts and its resolution of restoring Chinese cultural heritage. Drawing on archival materials, memoirs of former employees and a case study of the first mubanshuiyin reproduction – zanhua shinü tu (Court Ladies Wearing Flowered Headdresses) – this article traces the development of this unique art form during its golden age when it was marketed as both diplomatic gifts and souvenirs and a paradigm of collective craftsmanship by proletariat artisans. As a frequently used gift-giving practice for culture promotion, this article also unveils the contribution of mubanshuiyin reproductions to China’s soft power building and early art diplomacy from the 1950s to 1970s.

Analysis of the Artistic Characteristics of Literati Paintings

As a unique form of Chinese traditional painting, literati painting has its own distinctive features and far-reaching influence compared with other schools. Through the combination of literati painting with nature, personal feelings and social environment, it expresses the unique artistic style and unique aesthetic concept. At the same time, the literati paintings also reflect the extensive knowledge and noble sentiment of the Chinese literati and officialdom, and carry a wealth of historical and cultural connotations. It is believed that the active study and inheritance of literati paintings will promote the development and innovation of Chinese painting and contribute more wonderful works and ideas to the art world. This article through to the literati painting origin, the main style characteristic and the creation theme thorough analysis, demonstrated the literati painting in the Chinese traditional painting unique status and the importance.

REPRESENTATION OF THE CITY IN TRADITIONAL CHINESE GOHUA PAINTING: MOTIFS, TYPOLOGY, PICTORIAL AND STYLISTIC FEATURES

The representation of the city in traditional Chinese painting has certain features and traditions that distinguish it from the representation of urban imagery in Western art. First of all, this is an artistic generalization of the urban landscape as part of the artistic context of nature. It is also important to focus attention on the depicted identities of the urban space (houses, streets, bridges, as well as the nature that surrounds the city, etc.). In addition to this, gohua in its historical development has an obvious tendency to panoramicity and a generalized way of perception, which actualizes a special system of artistic motifs. Within the historical context of Chinese painting, the city often has a symbolic meaning, and its visuality is represented through the symbolism of color, space or emblems. After all, the use of traditional artistic materials and techniques is of great importance, which determines the palette of artistic techniques and directly affects the artistic motifs of the representation of the city. The representation of the city within the gohua reflects the peculiarities of Chinese culture and perception of the world. Cities are considered as part of nature and interconnected with it. This approach gives works of art depth and symbolic meaning. It is substantiated that the cityscape in the context of the general phenomenology of guohua has its own conceptual and terminological niche, which can be translated as “urban ink painting” (都市水墨). In turn, within this niche, the most popular artistic technique is “meticulous painting” (gongbi /工笔画; literally, “working with a brush”). The following typical pictorial and stylistic features of the urban landscape genre within Chinese ink painting, which are characteristic of the modern stage of development of Chinese fine art, have been established: 1) Expressiveness, which is expressed in the artist’s effort to convey not only the appearance of the city landscape, but also the emotional reaction to the landscape; 2) Minimalism: the desire to build an artistic foundation with the minimum number of colors and elements and focus on the expressiveness of details; 3) Line graphics: as a sign reflects the European approach to understanding the technique and imagery of Chinese painting; in the urban landscape genre, it affects imagery by conveying the shapes and contours of objects; 4) Contrast, with the help of which artists create volume, depth and texture of the urban landscape; 5) A separate artistic parameter is symbolism, which is a field of interpretation of the general pictorial and stylistic repertoire

THE LEGACY AND DEVELOPMENT OF CHINESE TRADITIONAL PAINTING IN A MODERN PICTURE BOOK

Children’s picture books have developed relatively maturely in Western countries, and Chinese publishing houses have chosen imported children’s picture books as their first choice for a long time. Regarding the development of the domestic children’s picture book market, due to the short development time, there are currently only a handful of children’s books that truly integrate Chinese traditional culture, and the connotation has not been truly inherited and popularized, and the unique historical meaning has not been truly reflected in the market. resonate in children’s lives. As far as image design is concerned, due to the influence of foreign children’s picture books, domestic children’s picture books mostly focus on natural expressions of objects and lack deep cultural value and spiritual connotation. As a result, our country’s children’s picture books lack national characteristics. Traditional Chinese painting is part of Chinese cultural heritage and has a unique form of artistic expression that can embody the connotation of Chinese humanistic spirit. The integration of traditional painting elements with modern children’s picture book design not only shows the diversity of the children’s world, but also reflects the cultural characteristics and artistic styles of different nations. When applying Chinese painting elements in the design of children’s picture books, whether in terms of formal language or philosophical spirit, blind application must be avoided. Modern children’s picture book design concepts should be followed, scientifically absorbed and flexibly applied Chinese painting elements to create deep and refreshing works for readers. A children’s picture book with Chinese elements. When creating picture books, we must also combine them with current science and technology to make picture books more nationally distinctive and modern in design, in line with the development of today’s diversified era. Based on the unique artistic characteristics of traditional Chinese painting — composition, pen and ink, color, artistic conception and other elements, this article discusses its application and embodiment in contemporary children’s picture books. It conducts research and analysis on the works of outstanding contemporary picture book creators, and summarizes The application methods and principles of traditional Chinese painting elements in the design of children’s picture books, and explore the new development of traditional painting elements in the creation of children’s picture books.

The occurrence and development of traditional Chinese painting of the regional Xin Jinling school and its prominent representatives

This article explores the emergence and development of the Xin Jinling school of traditional Chinese painting, focusing on its notable representatives. The main objective of this study is to investigate the school's formation, development, and the artistic features of works by renowned artists such as Fu Baoshi, Qian Songyan, Ya Ming, Wei Zixi, and Song Wenzhi. The scientific novelty of this research resides in determining the role and significance of the regional Xin Jinling school in Chinese art history and assessing its influence on contemporary Chinese art. Employing research methods such as historical and iconographic analysis, a historical and biographical approach, formal and stylistic analysis, and comparative analysis, the study delves into the school's main representatives. This article examines the geographical and chronological scope of the Xin Jinling school while elucidating the historical, sociopolitical, and cultural contexts of its formation. It also outlines the school's development trajectory, significantly impacted by China's political landscape during the twentieth century. Furthermore, the article scrutinizes the creative paths and artistic attributes of the school's primary representatives, analyzing the commonalities and distinct features of their works. These artists captured the spirit of their time and the everyday lives of the people, demonstrating a profound appreciation for nature. They devoted considerable attention to plein air activities, with each artist employing a unique creative approach. In conclusion, this article underscores the importance of the Xin Jinling school within the annals of Chinese art history. The findings of this research enhance our understanding of contemporary Chinese art by studying the Xin Jinling school of traditional painting as an integral component of China's artistic heritage.

Rendering and presentation of 3D digital ink landscape painting

AbstractExplore the digital rendering mode with texturing brush and ink effect, analyze and simulate the brush and ink characteristics of traditional Chinese ink painting, especially the art of landscape painting, and try to integrate the texture of wrinkle method synthesis map and modeling technology based on particle deposition and stacking (overlapping) to render, thus realizing the computer simulation of small freehand brushwork and large freehand brushwork (splash ink) ink effects in traditional landscape painting. This research inherits and develops the esthetic theory and thought of traditional ink painting art, and makes some beneficial exploration in the field of digital freehand ink painting, which has positive reference value and promotion significance for the development of Chinese ink painting.

Modernizing Sculpture: Print Culture and the New Discourse on Sculpture in China, circa 1880–1929

Abstract Much of the current scholarship on the art of China in the 1910s and 1920s focuses on artworks, art academies, and art groups that were associated either with traditional Chinese painting (guohua 國畫) or with oil painting (youhua 油畫). By contrast, other mediums such as sculpture have rarely been discussed by scholars of modern Chinese art. Similar to guohua, the association of which with lofty literati values and imperial eras was hotly debated at the beginning of the Republic of China (1912–1949), the art of sculpture – a category that has long been considered as funerary art, craft, or decorative art – and its relevance to modern China was also discussed by artists and intellectuals at that time. In early twentieth-century China, sculpture eventually gained a new status within the fine arts. This article argues that one important factor that promoted the changing perception of sculpture in the public sphere was the blossoming print culture and its connections with photography and exhibitions in Republican China. Print materials such as newspapers, newspaper supplements, pictorial magazines, and exhibition catalogs/pamphlets promoted the process of modernizing sculpture.

Synthesis of a europium complex with ultrahigh quantum yield and its application as an invisible luminescent additive in pigments for preservation of cultural relics

A europium coordination compound [Eu2(ppip)2(PhCOO)6] (ppip is 1,2-diphenylimidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline) has been synthesized and structurally characterized. In this symmetric dinuclear complex of octa-coordinated Eu(III) atom, both hanging phenyl rings in the ppip are twisted dramatically from the imidazophenanthroline part, leading to strong edge-to-face (T-type) C–H∙∙∙π interaction. This pale yellow stable complex possesses an ultrahigh luminescence quantum yield (84.2 ± 0.2%) under excitation at 365 nm, and hence is explored to be utilized in the preservation pigments for traditional Chinese paintings as an luminescent additive, which looks invisible under normal light, but exhibits bright red luminescence under UV excitation at a rather low percentage (0.02% wt).