The first lecture on pottery
I. Origin of art
There are two ways to study the primitive art in China:
First, archaeology, including philology; But social anthropology.
The most representative species of primitive art remains in China are pottery (especially painted pottery), in addition to sculptures, rock paintings, ground paintings, decorations, and stone tools, which also have different aesthetic characteristics.
The emergence of art:
1, representative theories: Art originated from the instinct of human imitation-ancient Greek Aristotle Horace Plato
People have the instinct of imitation since childhood. One of the differences between people and animals is that they are best at imitation. Their initial knowledge is derived from imitation, and people are always happy with imitation products.
from the internal cause, imitation is an instinct and necessary means of survival. from the external cause, imitation means can be gradually enriched and improved through practical efforts and acquired education.
2, labor theory: Marx and Engels said that art originated from labor.
3. Game theory: Kant Schiller's art originated from the game
4. Witchcraft theory: British anthropologist Taylor and Fraser's art originated from witchcraft
In the minds of primitive people, there is a mysterious attribute in all beings and natural phenomena, that is, gods,
that is, animism. They try to control the ghosts and gods who dominate human beings through witchcraft, and the art form is
.
2. Pottery
1. Invention of making pottery
First of all, primitive people painted mud on rattan containers and burned them, and found that mud could be turned into pottery. At the same time, they found that the same goal could be achieved without the need for middle rattan.
Another invention, pottery-making, started not with making containers of material life, but with making idols of witchcraft etiquette.
Three basic conditions for inventing pottery: water, soil and fire
There are two kinds of human production, on the one hand, the means of subsistence, that is, food, clothing, housing and transportation, and the production of tools; On the other hand, it is the production of human beings themselves, that is, the reproduction of species-so in primitive times, the production of clay idols was a witchcraft prayer for the reproduction of future generations. Primitive people believed that if a large number of dolls were made, the tribe would have children and grandchildren, and the population would flourish, thus strengthening the compatibility
In addition, in primitive society, it was the full-time job of women to keep the fire. And the fire kiln that keeps the fire looks like a woman's abdomen, so when making clay dolls, it is natural to put them in the fire kiln and burn them.
2. Distribution and types of pottery
① Distribution position
Yangshao culture-Yellow River valley, Henan, Shanxi and Shaanxi; Majiayao-Gansu and Qinghai;
Longshan culture-painted pottery in the lower reaches of the Yellow River and the eastern coast
② Types
Yangshao culture and Majiayao culture; Black pottery of Longshan culture
3. Practices and raw materials of pottery
① Making small-sized pottery by hand
Building large-sized pottery with a clay tray "clay tray building method"
Molding
"Wheel system": Yangshao cultural and technological progress. "slow wheel correction"
"fast" in the late Dawenkou culture
② Experiments show that it is black soil, sedimentary soil and other clay with high iron content
4, Patterns
1 snake pattern and human head snake body pattern 2 fish pattern and human face fish pattern 3 human figure pattern 4 frog pattern
5 bird pattern and bird pecking fish pattern 6 vortex pattern and wave pattern 7 mosaic pattern and weaving pattern
Examples: fish pattern painted pottery basin, human face fish pattern painted pottery basin 2, snakehead stone axe figure pottery cylinder 5 and painted pottery bottle 1
the second lecture on bronzes
1. The origin of bronzes and the "Bronze Age" in the history of art
In the cultural history of China, the Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties were called the Bronze Age for two reasons:
First, the bronzes cast in these three eras had the highest historical and cultural values and the most representative achievements in the history of bronze art in China;
Second, the number of bronzes handed down from these three times is the largest, which can best reflect the mental outlook at that time.
(reasons: cultural background, technical level, social division of labor)
Kao Gong Ji is a document (more than 3 kinds of crafts) describing the specifications and manufacturing techniques of various types of official handicrafts in China during the Spring and Autumn Period. Second, the stages of bronze art
1. The bronze ware was bred in the early Xia-Shang period (21C—-14c BC)
. Simple ornamentation
2, the heyday of bronzes: equivalent to the middle Shang Dynasty to the early Western Zhou Dynasty (pre-14C—-pre-1C)
Bronze art achievements in this period were the most brilliant, and they were mostly used as ritual vessels for witchcraft worship activities, such as ding and GUI, which were mostly "five courtiers" (emperors, princes, ministers, doctors and scholars) < p In addition, the consistent system of equipment and decoration for chariots and horses also has strict grade specifications (in the field of superstructure and ideology, the witch history culture with strong religious nature is based on the banner of ceremony and the sacrifice of ancestors as the core). Therefore, there is a saying that "the ritual is hidden in the device".
The works are heavy in shape and deep in carving, with patterns such as animal faces, dragons, phoenix birds, clouds and thunder, and most of them are full of ornaments, which have deterrent power-"hideous beauty"
3 Bronze ware transformation period: early Western Zhou Dynasty to early Spring and Autumn Period (1C—-6c BC)
Bronze ware production in this period is not as good as before. In fact, this reflects the disintegration of the royal authority, and the sacrificial activities centered on the Five Ranks are declining day by day-"Ritual collapse and bad music"
4 Bronze ware renewal period: late Spring and Autumn Period-Warring States Period (6c-2c BC)
A degenerate style, which follows the transformation period and is more declining,
A refined style, with more articles for daily use and exquisite ornamentation. Mystery and horror are swept away
III. Types of bronzes
Ritual vessels (cookers, food vessels, wine vessels, water vessels)
Musical instruments, weapons, tools, chariots and horses
IV. Aesthetic pursuit of bronzes
The political system of the three generations is a strict hierarchy. In superstructure and ideology, ceremony is the banner. The material and cultural representatives of the three generations are bronzes, which are the so-called "heavy weapons". Copper alloys were precious metals at that time, not the daily utensils of nobles, but the utensils used for sacrifices and banquets. Priests and banquets are all about comforting ancestors, so the overall spirit is magnificent, mysterious and majestic.
The fifth lecture on China's ancient painting theory
I. The development process of China's ancient painting theory
The relationship between art theory and creation is the same as that between general theory and practice. Art theory is the reflection and summary of art creation practice, and it guides and is tested by creation practice. China's ancient art theory was born in the long-term feudal society, which inevitably brought some idealistic and metaphysical views of the feudal society. However, most of them not only had an influence on ancient art creation, but also have reference for today's art innovation.
The origin of China's fine arts can be traced back to the Neolithic Age about 6 years ago, when painted pottery was produced. Following the tradition of pottery arts and crafts in Yanbian, bronzes developed. However, there were very few theories about the creation of these two arts and crafts in ancient times. The study of bronzes began in Ouyang Xiu of the Song Dynasty, which shows that China's arts and crafts theory, especially the arts and crafts theory. For a long time, it has lagged behind the creative practice (the neglected "hundred works", only using, not studying and not commenting)
China's art theory has increased since the Spring and Autumn Period:
1. The similarities between the discouraged art theory in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Han Dynasty
are as follows: First, critics are not specialized in art, and most of them are philosophers with different theories. But from the content of the paper, the original intention is not art, and art is often used as an example to illustrate or metaphor its academic point of view. Of course, there are also some who specialize in art, but there are few.
Value: Some fundamental issues are raised, such as the relationship between art and politics, that is, the social role of art, the relationship between art and real life, that is, how to reflect social life, and so on, and the special laws of art itself.
Confucius: painting after the event, Zhuangzi: taking off clothes, Wang Yun: Lun Heng
2, the great development of art theory in Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties
. Writers' participation in the discussion of painting, especially painters' discussion of painting, has played an important role in promoting the development of art theory, because they are experts and practitioners of art compared with philosophers, so their opinions can be deeper, concrete and systematic. Gu Kaizhi, Sheikh and Yao Zui all made outstanding contributions.
Landscape painting in the Warring States Period also rose in this period, and Wei Wang, Zong Bing, opened up a new field of landscape painting theory to express natural beauty. Six theories, such as "Nature in Mind", "Fantasy in Mind", "Spirit in Form" and "Vivid in Charm", not only affect the ancient creation, but also affect the creation of Chinese painting today, and some theories have exceeded the scope of art and become the spiritual wealth of sister art.
3. Tang and Song Dynasties
Tang and Song Dynasties are an important stage in the development of ancient Chinese art, but the artistic achievements of Tang and Song Dynasties are different, and their styles are different. Guo Ruoxu, a theorist of the Northern Song Dynasty, made a comparison between the art of the Song Dynasty and the art before the Song Dynasty in his Picturesque, which is objective. The summarized view is:
Some categories of painting in the Song Dynasty were less successful than those in the Tang Dynasty, while others were more successful than those in the Tang Dynasty. Less than the main figure painting, cattle and horses painting; More than flowers and birds painting and landscape painting. That is to say. Painting reflecting social life in Song Dynasty declined. With the development of the Song Dynasty, the painting that reflects the natural beauty rejoices, which is reflected in the art theory. There are differences in the scope of discussion, the content of debate, artistic taste and aesthetics, especially the appearance of literati painting and literati painting, which makes the painting theory in the Song Dynasty have a turning point.
A monograph on art theory in Tang and Song Dynasties, which has a great influence on contemporary or later generations, Zhang Yanyuan's Notes on Famous Paintings of Past Dynasties; Guo Ruoxu's "Pictures"; Jing Hao's brushwork and Guo Xi's Lin Quan Gao Zhi Ji. Other writers and calligraphers, such as Shen Kuo, Ouyang Xiu, Su Shi, Huang Tingjian, Mi Fei, and especially Su Huangmi, had a great influence on literati painting in Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. (Introduction)
4, Yuan Dynasty
China's painting developed into the Yuan Dynasty, and great changes have taken place. From the perspective of subject matter, figure painting, which reflects social life, suddenly declined and was replaced by landscape painting and flower-and-bird painting, which described natural beauty. From the artistic expression. Yuan people's works win with rhyme and pen and ink. The change of Yuan painting is the expression of the long-term development and change of literati painting. Investigating the painting theory of Yuan Dynasty, we can see the aesthetic interest inherited from literati painting in Song Dynasty everywhere, and make our own contribution on the basis of it.
Zhao Mengfu fu, Qian Xuan and Ni zan Zan are famous.
5, Ming and Qing dynasties