Chinese painting

In contrast to Western paintings, one may say that earlier traditional Chinese painters use color very sparingly or abandon it altogether, and rely mainly on “line sketches” and “ink and wash” for effect.

The tools used in traditional Chinese painting are paintbrush, ink, traditional paint and special paper or silk

Chinese painting developed and was classified by theme into three genres: figures, landscapes, and birds-and-flowers.

As Chinese is an ideographic language, its calligraphy has its infinite variations and is in itself an art. So, the calligraphy of the inscription and signature on Chinese paintings should be directly linke

d with the images themselves.

Human-figure painting

Tang ying

In the 18th century, a group of painters such as Jin Nong and Zheng Banqiao mainly took plum blossoms, orchids, chrysanthemums and bamboo, peony as their subjects, and reproduced them in paintings with innovated techniques. They nourished the growth of such contemporary masters as

Wu Changshuo and Qi Baishi.

Zheng ban qiao

Wu chang shuo (1844-1972

This was painted by Li Keran, a noted landscape painter, who has a simple and dignified style. Artists like Fu Baoshi,

Qian Songyan and Ya Ming reproduce scenes of the countryside south of the Yangtze River in paintings that are bright

in color. Guan Shanyue excels at well-knit composition.

Fu bao shi (1904-1965)

Gong-bi painting

This is a painting of the gongbi school of meticulous brushwork and close attention to detail. Look, in the painting every leaf and even every stem and vein of peonies is drawn in minute detail.

Wu dao zi

The other school is xieyi or the impressionistic school. Painters of this school use broad, dashing strokes on Xuan paper and strive to render spirit and rhythm instead of faithfulness to detail.