How to appreciate Chinese paintings
When appreciating a Chinese painting, for ordinary people, the criterion is often whether it can be "understood". The steps for appreciation are: What is the painting? Does it look like the painting? What is the meaning of this image painted by the artist? If you can answer everything, it is considered that you understand it; if you cannot answer it, you are considered that you do not understand it. This method is a traditional "story" method, and the appreciation of paintings often relies too much on "literary" descriptions. Using this method to appreciate Chinese paintings, generally speaking, it is easier to appreciate meticulous and realistic works because they are concrete, real, and understandable.
But if it is extensive. Freehand works, especially ink freehand works, are more difficult to appreciate because they are not realistic and the images are not concrete, so it is difficult to understand them, and it is impossible to know the author's meaning. Of course, it is completely understandable for ordinary people to appreciate Chinese paintings in this way, because the paintings are similar and can be seen clearly, which can easily arouse associations and produce excitement. But we must understand that the quality of a Chinese painting is not measured by its “likeness” or “unlikeness”.
As far as art is concerned, when we measure the quality of a painting, or when we appreciate a painting, it is not first of all whether it looks like or not, but rather on the theme of the painting, or the painting. Whether a certain concept, a certain thought, a certain emotion radiated from the film can firmly grasp the heartstrings of the viewer, can it provide people with full artistic aesthetic enjoyment, and enable people to obtain some enlightenment and education from it. . It should be said that this is the real purpose of all works of art. Likeness and dissimilarity are only a means to achieve the goal of the work, not the end itself. Therefore, resemblance or dissimilarity cannot be used as a criterion to measure the quality of a work or to appreciate it.
So, how do painters look at paintings? As far as Chinese painting is concerned, when looking at a painting, one usually looks at the overall momentum of the picture. In Chinese painting terms, one means first appreciating its "charm" or "spiritual likeness", and then looking at its interest in brushwork, composition, coloring, brushwork, etc. Finally, look at its shape, that is, whether it resembles or "looks like" it. This appreciation method that captures the "charm" is to capture the essence of the painting, because "charm" is a high-level artistic aesthetic enjoyment, which is often the goal pursued by Chinese painters.
Of course, it is not easy to experience a kind of "spirit" from paintings. It not only requires certain aesthetic ability and artistic accomplishment, but also requires certain basic knowledge of traditional Chinese painting. , especially a "feeling" trained through "painting". Therefore, to appreciate Chinese painting well, one must possess various talents and artistic accomplishments.
Art appreciation needs to go through three stages: aesthetic perception, aesthetic understanding and aesthetic creation, and the same is true for Chinese painting.
Aesthetic perception requires us to intuitively perceive the aesthetic object, that is, the work of art itself. Can we perceive what is painted on the work? The painting looks similar or different, the colors are bright or dark, the lines are smooth or clumsy, the expression technique is meticulous or freehand, etc. In short, you have to feel it intuitively and calmly in person.
The second step is to carry out aesthetic understanding based on aesthetic perception. That is to understand and think on the basis of intuitive feelings, and grasp the meaning, meaning and connotation of the work. This understanding includes an understanding of the artistic form and artistic techniques of the work; an understanding of the content and theme of the work; and an understanding of the background of the work and the spirit of the times, etc. This requires fully mobilizing our thinking ability .
We can think about it step by step: What should the content of the painting express? How does it behave? Are the artistic methods used appropriate? Can the theme be adequately expressed? At the same time, through the picture of the work, you can guess the author's thoughts, whether it is a passionate praise or a bitter satire; through the atmosphere of the picture, you can experience the mood of the picture: whether it is deep or bold, optimistic or sad. It can also be analyzed based on the existing knowledge structure, combined with the author's life experience, creative characteristics and the background of the times.
At this point, the aesthetic appreciation of art is not complete, there is still a stage of aesthetic creation. It is to recreate based on the aesthetics of the work through aesthetic perception and understanding, and to create a new one through rich associations and development through the accumulated aesthetic experience, cultural knowledge, life experience, etc. The image comes.
In this way, you can truly gain enlightenment and education, and only then can you gain real meaning from appreciating Chinese paintings. Friends may wish to use this method to appreciate Chinese paintings (or other paintings), give it a try seriously, and see if you can gain anything.
To appreciate Chinese paintings, it is necessary to master and understand the basic principles of evaluating paintings in ancient China -
The "Six Methods".
The "Six Methods" were proposed by Xie He, a famous figure painter and art theorist who lived in the Southern Qi Dynasty during the Northern and Southern Dynasties. Xie He was good at portraits and ladies paintings. It is said that he had keen observation and profound training. However, his status in the history of Chinese painting mainly depends on his theoretical contribution. His book "Ancient Paintings" initially established a complete system of Chinese painting theory and put forward the artistic standards for painting. ——"Six Dharmas".
What is the content of "Six Dharmas"? It includes six aspects: vivid charm, bone method and brushwork, pictograms according to objects, color according to categories, management position, transfer and writing:
Vivid charm: What does charm mean? It is the spiritual temperament of the image, which is what Gu Kaizhi, the figure painter of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, called "god". Vivid charm means that the spiritual temperament of the image in the picture is lively, vivid and distinctive. That is to say, "both form and spirit", the requirement of Chinese painting is not only to depict the appearance of the object, but also to express its spirit. The characters have spirit, and so do the landscapes, flowers and birds. When you achieve spiritual resemblance, you can achieve vivid charm. Many painters believe that works without charm cannot be called paintings. Of course, to show the vividness and authenticity of the artistic image, that is, the charm, is also inseparable from the other five methods. The vivid charm is also inseparable from the composition, conception, and pen and ink techniques. Therefore, it is a whole with the other five methods. The other five methods are also inseparable from the vividness of the spirit, otherwise, they will become purely technical things lacking soul.
Biography brush: Bone method originally refers to the appearance characteristics of characters, and later refers to the outline of all painted objects. The use of brushes is the unique brush and ink technique of Chinese painting. In general, bone method brushwork refers to how to properly draw the shape and texture of an object using brushwork techniques. If we understand the vividness of Qiyun as "spirit", then we can simply understand the use of Gufa's brush as "shape". In this regard, the vividness of Qiyun and the use of Gufa's brush are inseparable and intrinsically linked. The description of "form" It is written with the help of pen and ink, and writing form is just a means. Its purpose is to express "spirit", which is consistent with Gu Kaizhi's law of expressing objects by "writing spirit with form".
According to object pictogram: when the painter depicts the object, he should conform to the original appearance of the thing and use modeling means to express it. That is to say, describing things must have certain objective things as a basis, and cannot be arbitrary and subjective fabrication. That is to reflect things objectively and describe objects. However, as art, it can also make choices, generalizations, imaginations and exaggerations on the premise of respecting objective things. This can be said to refer to a creative attitude and method.
Applying color according to category: refers to the application of color, which refers to the use of different colors according to different depiction objects, time and place. The use of colors in Chinese paintings is different from Western paintings. Chinese paintings like to use inherent colors, that is, the original colors of objects. Although they also pay attention to certain changes, the changes are small.
Business position: refers to composition. Management refers to the design method of composition, which is to arrange and adjust the image according to the needs of the picture, that is, to reflect the overall effect of the work through the so-called layout. Chinese painting has always attached great importance to composition. It must pay attention to various relationships such as guest and host, echo, virtuality and reality, complexity and simplicity, density, concealment, and unevenness.
Transfer and touch writing: refers to sketching and copying. Sketching real people and copying ancient works is a learning method for learning nature and inheriting traditions.
The six methods are the most comprehensive and highest requirements for painters and paintings. Generally speaking, it is difficult to fully achieve them. It is enough to be good at each one. By understanding and mastering the six methods, it is easier for us to understand the standards and focus of the ancients' evaluation of paintings, so that we can objectively treat the art heritage of our motherland, and gain some inspiration from it when we appreciate traditional Chinese paintings.
Whether one can appreciate Chinese paintings is one of the criteria for measuring whether Chinese people have artistic appreciation. Appreciating Chinese paintings requires appreciators to have certain knowledge, talent and style.
For a Chinese painting, first take a general look. The layout should be harmonious, whether it has the author’s personal style, and the artistic conception and interest should be profound. The artistic conception or interest is the appreciator's initial impression of a painting. A good artistic conception or interest makes the appreciator want to take a closer look. Any good pen and ink skills serve to express artistic conception or interest. Style is what distinguishes one Chinese painter from another Chinese painter, and it is also the criterion for testing the maturity of a painter. The works of Chinese painting masters all have distinctive artistic styles.
Layout is the strategy of painting and the most critical part of the performance of a painting. If you draw a boulder on the left, a small bird on the right, add some grass, inscribe a few words below, and stamp it, the painting is completed. Even if the pen and ink are exquisite and artistic, the layout may be improper and the picture will be out of balance. If it makes the appreciator uncomfortable, it is not considered a successful Chinese painting. Master Pan Tianshou's paintings are very artistic, with every mountain, every stone, every insect and every bird showing the vitality of all things and the poetry of nature. His paintings are dangerous, strange and multiple. Through various objects, fierce conflicts are resolved one by one, and the final picture returns to balance and harmony. His large paintings are majestic and elegant, often giving viewers a shocking aesthetic experience.
Secondly, look at the shape and lines. The shape is too improper, the people do not look like people, the mountains do not look like mountains, and the trees do not look like trees. Even if the layout is good and the lines are good, it is still not a masterpiece. The shape should be reasonable and the lines should be natural and vivid. However, natural and vivid lines have various styles, some are beautiful, some are old, some are simple, some are thick, some are elegant. These lines will produce different aesthetic feelings by expressing different objects. In these lines, there must be calligraphy beauty. Generally speaking, Wu Changshuo's lines are clumsy, Qi Baishi's lines are old, Pan Tianshou's lines are dignified, and Fan Zeng's lines are elegant.
Chinese painting artists without calligraphy skills often have weak, slippery, and immature lines, and the connotation of the objects expressed by these lines is very poor. This kind of painting is common in tourist attractions or handicraft shopping malls. Many Chinese painting artists with poor quality have produced a large number of inferior and vulgar Chinese paintings, which has extremely damaged the reputation and market of Chinese painting.
Let’s look at the changes in ink color. Some bad paintings are often completely black in parts without any changes, and the light ink is scattered and not ethereal. Good Chinese painting pays attention to the five colors of black: burnt, wet, thick, heavy and clear. Burnt ink painting is only suitable for the convenience of sketching, and it is feasible to collect landscape materials. No one's burnt ink landscape can become the top grade of Chinese painting. As a complete Chinese painting, burnt ink painting greatly reduces its charm. Zhang Ding's burnt-ink landscape paintings make people feel thirsty. Qi Baishi's short freehand paintings of flowers and birds are full of lasting interest. He is extremely skilled in using ink, water and color. The brush in his hand has endless changes in life, allowing viewers to still feel the moistness of the paintings decades later. There once was a peasant flower-and-bird painter Wang Hanshan in the countryside of Hunan. His paintings were vigorous, well-organized, and strong in brushstrokes, but he had too few changes and was straight-forward. He is not good at using water and color, and his paintings have an air of fire. He said that "when painting, you must give enough ink and color," but he gave too much. It is often seen that his paintings are all black or all red. His paintings have a strong style, but the quality of the paintings is not high.
In Chinese painting, the use of ink comes first, followed by the use of color. In good Chinese painting, the color should not block the ink, and the ink should not block the color. Since Chinese painting is not based on realism, the colors should not be too realistic or inconsistent with the objects expressed by black lines. Add a little light ink to the general color to make the color calm and ancient. When Fan Zeng painted people, the color on their faces was not all pink, but light cyan was added. The background colors were also cyan plus Zhu, and even some light ink was added, all for the sake of a noble and calm tone.
It would be tacky to use white powder plus eosin for the face, green for the background vegetation, and cyanine or ocher for the rocks. Meticulous painting of flowers, birds, and figures also requires attention to the lines of outlines and the coloring of objects. The coloring of good Chinese paintings may be calm, ancient, or elegant. In general, they cannot use colors like oil paintings or watercolors. For Chinese paintings that require coloring, the ink brush part should not be overdone and leave something for the colors to express. However, for pure ink paintings, you have to use your full strokes and adding color will be superfluous.
Finally, look at the title and seal. The inscription depends on whether the calligraphy skill and text content are superb. The seal is very particular. The proper position of the seal is the icing on the cake. The inappropriate position of the seal is the Buddha's head with dung.
If the painting is mounted, it also depends on the mounting craftsmanship, the matching of the silk paper, whether the painting is flat, and whether the length, width, and width are harmonious. If the painting is framed, you should appreciate whether the frame material is exquisite and the workmanship is good. After all, it is a pity that a good painting is poorly framed. It seems that if an expert wears bad clothes, he will be greatly inferior to the wind god.
Appearance:
First look What you need to appreciate in Chinese painting is not just the simple picture, but also the exquisiteness of the following items.
Painter:
The painter's works can show the author's achievements. The image of the painting is the specificity of the painter. We often subjectively criticize the quality of the painting because it is greatly influenced by the painter.
Calligraphy:
One of the differences between Chinese painting and Western painting is calligraphy. Chinese paintings are often accompanied by verses, and verses are the soul of the painting. Sometimes a line of poetry is like the finishing touch, adding a lot of color to the painting. The calligraphy in the painting also has a great influence on the painting. Most painters who are not good at calligraphy dare not write inscriptions. Although they only have signatures, they can still get a glimpse of their good and bad qualities.
Seals:
Common seals on the picture include various aspects: painter's seal, inscriber's private seal, foil seal, collector's seal, appreciator's seal, authenticator's seal, etc. . The engraving of various seals, the content of the seal, the location of the seal, etc. are all included in the evaluation. Especially ancient paintings often have seals from emperors, famous artists, collectors and connoisseurs, which can prove their authenticity.
Framing:
The framing of Chinese paintings is even more unique. There are two common types: paper and damask. Today I am washing my clothes, and the damask is finely framed. The color of the border, the width, the edge, the joints, the mounting work, etc. are all very particular. Japan's modern mounting art has a different flavor, which has an influence on modern mounting methods. Good mounting can make a painting more beautiful, noble and generous.
Frame decoration:
If a painting is hidden under a glass frame by using a mirror, the material, color, and size of the frame will have a great impact on the beauty of the painting. In recent years, North American painters have mostly adopted Western-style framing instead of Chinese-style mounting, which is also quite impressive.
Connotation:
When Chinese people appreciate calligraphy and painting, they not only appreciate the superficial skills, but also pay more attention to the relationship between the work and the author.
Skill:
The longer a person has been engaged in calligraphy and painting, the more skill he shows that beginners cannot master. Especially in calligraphy, most experienced hands are vigorous and vigorous. In terms of Chinese painting, its lines, design, and artistic conception also reflect the artist's craftsmanship. Therefore, the works of artists with rich life experience often have different expressions than those of younger painters. This expression is skill.
Layout:
The layout seems to be the design of the picture, but it is actually the world in the author's mind, which is reflected in the layout of the picture. There are many differences between Chinese painting and Western painting, the most obvious one being "blank space". Traditionally, Chinese paintings do not add background color, so there is a lot of white space. Sparse, dense, gathered, and scattered become the layout of white space. In the blank spaces, some people use calligraphy, poetry, seals, etc. to fill in the blanks, while others leave them empty, so the author's uniqueness can be seen from the layout.
Education:
The workmanship and layout can be glimpsed in the painting. As for the author's education, it has the greatest influence on his works. Therefore, China is known as "literati painting". What makes a famous literati's works unique is his "bookishness".
The difference between a painter and a painter is one of the conditions.
Character:
Western painters are often romantic and uninhibited, and enjoy playing with the world. The appreciators only look at the paintings and ignore the painter's personal ethics. The Chinese are different. If a painter or calligrapher behaves badly, is morally corrupt, has a bad reputation, or is a treacherous and evil person, no matter how exquisite his calligraphy and art are, no one cares about him. Who has the works of Cao Cao, Qin Hui, and other treacherous ministers in high esteem? This is the reason why Yue Fei's "Give me back my rivers and mountains" and Sun Yat-sen's "The world is for the common good" have become well-known plaques.
Poetry:
The poems and phrases in calligraphy and painting often represent the owner’s voice. A good poem can also express the author's connotation and knowledge. A good sentence also puts the finishing touch on the title of the book. The most rare thing is that the author can compose poems for his own pictures and does not plagiarize other people's old works, which is even more outstanding. The same is true for calligraphy. If you copy an ancient poem, others will only look at the words, because the content is not the author's voice, but just a copy of the ancients. After all, it lacks the soul of the author.
Sealed text:
Regardless of calligraphy or painting, there are often "corner-pressed" idle seals. The so-called pressed corner refers to the blank corner of the picture or calligraphy. The printed text sometimes greatly affects calligraphy and painting. The author's mentality or the environment at that time can also be seen from the printed text. Good sealing, coupled with good engraving skills, can be used to cover calligraphy and painting, making the work more glorious.