Why is Chinese painting history? In June 2003, Wen C. Fong wrote a paper to answer this question and why it matters. According to Fong, Chinese paintings are historical objects that merit more attention. To appreciate the true value of Chinese art, one must change to a universal approach to art history, not one that acts as a form of cultural imperialism relating everything to Western art. The “crisis” in art history that Wen Fong fears is a dialectic relationship between “aesthetics and history, form and content, past and present” (1) in the battle between the idealist theory of art as timeless and nineteenth-century positivism which clings to style. Fong argues that because of China’s unique painting tradition, style and connoisseurship become essential in deciphering the Chinese visual language.
The Chinese believed that painting is alive. In contrast to the Western concept of painting as imitating reality, Chinese calligraphy and painting represents the physical “trace” (ji) of its maker. Excellence in painting is grouped in 3 classes: shen (spiritual/magical), miao (marvelous), and neng (competent) and follows the 6 Principles of life motion, use of brush, representation, use of pigments, composition, and replication. The great artist Gu Kaizhi said that the painter should capture spirit through form- a sort of “magic realism”, as Fong calls it.
Chinese painters copied the works of earlier masters, accounting for the continuity of Chinese painting. Works of masters are known today through copies or copies of copies. The copies are masterpieces and can be dated stylistically. Through similar, painting gradually evolved from simple (4-5th century) to detailed (6-7th century) and to complete (8th century). From the Six Dynasties to Song Dynasty, it was believed that human genius brought creativity into the universe. After Song, it was believed that individuality was considered an agent of change. From the 5th to 7th century, China was multiethnic and open to foreign trade and culture. There was significant influence by Buddhist sculpture and chiaroscuro.
After Mongol conquest in 1279, mimetic representation came to end and shifted to self-expression and “art historical representation”. For example, the artist Wen Zhengming worked in many styles, combined different calligraphic idioms, and transformed classical landscapes into abstract brush idioms. The Qing individualist Shitao (17th century) said that “The beards and eyebrows of the ancient masters cannot grow on my face… How can I follow any ancient style without transforming it?” (14). Ancient Chinese legends say that script and image are essentially undifferentiated art forms. It’s ironic that just before the end of traditional Chinese painting, Shitao returned to the idea of oneness of writing and painting.
Not only does Fong explain the history of Chinese painting in detail, he also delves into the mysterious realm of the history of art history. It may seem that art history is definite from the way art historians confidently tell the “real and true” version of things, but like any history or way of viewing things, art history constantly evolves. Different movements and standards result in completely different attitudes toward art. Fong’s article sees many glitches in approaches toward the study of art history, 19th century positivism dependency on scientific style being a prime example. It’s important to develop critical analysis so that students don’t mindlessly accept everything written in textbooks.
I greatly enjoyed the article and respect Weng C. Fong as an authority on Chinese painting. Wen Fong fervently believes in the value of the history of Chinese art. While it is true that Asian art in general has gained more acceptance, most Chinese discourses view Western history as a universal model. It’s hard for modern Chinese artists to relate to their roots. Fong believes that Chinese painting has relevance in the postmodern discipline of art history because it offers a different national visual language and acts as a tool for dealing with intercultural artistic activities. Like Wen Fong, I, too, hope that the 21st century will smile kindly on traditional Chinese painting so that it might draw interest, be explored, and be reintegrated into modern life and art.
