As China's paintings with independent significance, we can now see the earliest physical objects, namely 1949 "Dragon and Phoenix Painted as Man" unearthed from the Chu Tomb of the Warring States Period in Chenjiadashan, Changsha, Hunan Province, and 1973 "Dragon and Phoenix Painted as Man" unearthed from the Chu Tomb of the Warring States Period in Changsha Ammunition Depot. These two silk paintings have a history of more than 2,300 years, which can be described as the originator of scroll paintings in China.
Silk Painting of Dragon and Phoenix Figures is characterized by lines, which are concise and bright, with red dots on the lips of the figures. Although lines show the childishness of early painting, we can see the unique style of China's traditional painting-line modeling, which was formed in the Warring States period and accumulated considerable experience in using pens and coloring. However, this painting has a rough description of the characters' faces, with a certain decorative meaning, showing the childishness of early painting.
The silk painting of the figure dragon is slightly later than the previous painting, probably at the turn of the middle and late Warring States period. Its theme is clearer than the former, its artistic expression is greatly improved, its characters are vivid, its lines are uniform and stiff, its flying is smooth, and it is richer and more rhythmic than the former. Coloring is also very complicated. After single-line painting, plane painting and rendering are used together, and gold powder and white powder are added in some places. It is also the earliest work that has been discovered so far. It can be said that China's meticulous and heavy-colored painting was formed more than 2000 years ago, from which we can see that the painting at that time reached a very high level, which laid the foundation for the development of China's painting art.
Silk paintings existing in the world
Chu silk calligraphy image
1942 unearthed in Changsha, Hunan Province, with a statue of 12 painted around it, one at each corner, sketched with ink lines, painted in five colors: green, brown, Zhu, white and black, with a large section of ink in the middle. The content is the relationship between astronomical phenomena and human disasters, and the myth formed by four seasons and day and night.
People Longfeng
1949 unearthed from the Chu Tomb of the Warring States Period in Chenjiadashan, Changsha, depicts a woman in a long-sleeved robe standing sideways on the left side, her hands folded and her robe skirt mopping the floor. A phoenix with a neck and beak on its head spreads its wings and takes off; In addition, Yi Long cocked his feet, twisted his body and rose upward, with the theme of attracting souls to heaven. That is, the silk painting "Beauty of Feng Kui" by Beauty of Feng Kui (late Warring States) depicts a beautiful woman with her hands open and closed. On the left front of her head, there is also a picture of a phoenix fighting with real talent and learning. According to Guo Moruo's explanation, it is the Phoenix and Osmium in the painting (1), which is undoubtedly a struggle. (2) It is the good spirit that triumphs over the evil spirit, the life that triumphs over death, the peace that triumphs over disaster, and the eulogy of the victory of life and peace. (3) The meaning of painting is a kind woman who prays in fantasy and wins through struggle. (4) The conception of painting skillfully interweaves fantasy with reality, showing the spirit of the Warring States period. The feature of the shape is no longer as awe-inspiring as it was in the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, which shows people's contempt for it.
Dragon of characters
1973 Changsha ammunition depot unearthed from Chu Tomb of Warring States Period. It depicts a man leaning on the left, riding a dragon boat with a reins. The man wore a high crown, a robe and a long sword, and his posture was magnificent. There is a canopy on the boat, fish are swimming under the boat, and a crane is standing at the stern. Elegant lines and full of movement. The painting is slightly dizzy and the technique is improved. The theme is to lead the soul to heaven.
In the middle of the silk painting Dragon of People, there is a bearded man standing sideways, holding the reins and driving a dragon. The dragon head is high, the dragon tail is upturned, and the dragon body is flat, slightly like a boat. On the dragon's tail stood a crane with round eyes, a long peck and head held high. There is a cover above the head, and three streamers are fluttering in the wind. The lower left corner of the picture is carp. All objects move in the same direction from left to right, showing a magnificent gesture. The characters and the description in Qu Yuan's poems of "the pride of the high, the separation of Pei from the soil" can confirm each other. The painting method is mainly based on smooth single-line sketch, supplemented by flat painting and rendered colors, and the whole painting is occasionally decorated with gold, white and pink. The painting method of traditional Chinese painting is based on lines, which has a long history and deep roots.
mawangdui hanmu bohua
Unearthed from the Western Han Tomb in Mawangdui, Changsha 1972 ~ 1974. There are five paintings, one of which is T-shaped. Silk painting is divided into three parts, which depict different scenes in the sky, on the ground and underground respectively. The theme is still to lead the soul to heaven. Rich in content, complex in composition, and free from chaos and congestion. With smooth lines and rich colors, it is a masterpiece of painting in Han Dynasty. The other silk painting is almost the same as this one in size, shape and content. The third silk painting, 94 cm long and 94 cm wide, depicts a grand ritual scene of horses and chariots. There are more than 200 people in the painting, 100 horses. The fourth picture has been badly damaged, so it is difficult to see the whole picture. The fifth silk painting depicts more than 40 people doing various fitness exercises, such as bending, stretching, jumping and rotating, with different postures and vivid images, and is named "Guide Map".
Painting of Han Tomb in Jinqueshan
1976 was unearthed in jinque mountain, Linyi, Shandong province. Eight groups of scenes were drawn from bottom to top, representing the scenes in the sky, on the ground and underground respectively. The theme is to lead the soul to heaven, but more attention is paid to depicting the life of the tomb owner before his death, and some pictures are full of life interest.
Brief introduction of silk painting
Silk painting refers to the painting made of white silk before the appearance of traditional silk painting in China. It is different from silk paintings or other cloth paintings, and is made of 100% mulberry silk, which is not beaten, alum-beaten or colored, and is drawn by meticulous painting techniques. The colors of silk paintings are rich and bright with mineral pigments such as cinnabar, azurite and stone green, such as the silk paintings of Mawangdui No.1 Han Tomb; It is also useful to draw with ink and white powder, such as figures, dragons and phoenixes, silks, etc. It depicts the celestial phenomena, gods, totems and figures, so as to express the mythical world where the gods and men are located in the vast kingdom of heaven.