How has Ancient and Imperial Chinese art changed between the Neolithic Period -1279AD?
I will be examining how Chinese art has changed and developed from the Neolithic Period (Stone Age) up until the end of the Song Dynasty where an “age of high culture”(The Dynasties Of China, 2015) was coming to an end, and art became more westernised and less authentic. I will also briefly mention modern day Chinese art to show context.
Whilst undergoing my research there were common, re-occurring themes with regards to how Ancient Chinese art progressed into Imperial Chinese art. Because of this, I have based my project around jade and its replacement –pottery and paintings, as I concluded that significant development could be seen in these media. The years of development vary from each media as change their developments occurred at different times, however, these changes all occur within the time frame between the Neolithic Period and 1279AD.
Jade and its replacement:
“Objects made of jade are thought to have played a ceremonial role” (The Metropolitan …show more content…
The period saw a crucial turning point for class barriers as the casting of bronze became more prominent. At this point in time “bronze became a widespread substitute for jade, horn, ivory, and stone” (Encyclopedia of East Asian Art, 2015), even replacing these original medias to be used in religious, and ceremonial matters. “A method of casting bronze using multiple ceramic moulds was invented, resulting in the production of extraordinary ritual vessels intricately decorated in relief” (The Metropolitan Museum Of Art, 2015) ,thus increasing the new technologies popularity. Because this new technology was only available to the richest people during the period, this caused a significant break in class barriers and further heightened class differences. In addition, slavery began during the Shang Dynasty further contributing to the separation of the
I will be examining how Chinese art has changed and developed from the Neolithic Period (Stone Age) up until the end of the Song Dynasty where an “age of high culture”(The Dynasties Of China, 2015) was coming to an end, and art became more westernised and less authentic. I will also briefly mention modern day Chinese art to show context.
Whilst undergoing my research there were common, re-occurring themes with regards to how Ancient Chinese art progressed into Imperial Chinese art. Because of this, I have based my project around jade and its replacement –pottery and paintings, as I concluded that significant development could be seen in these media. The years of development vary from each media as change their developments occurred at different times, however, these changes all occur within the time frame between the Neolithic Period and 1279AD.
Jade and its replacement:
“Objects made of jade are thought to have played a ceremonial role” (The Metropolitan …show more content…
The period saw a crucial turning point for class barriers as the casting of bronze became more prominent. At this point in time “bronze became a widespread substitute for jade, horn, ivory, and stone” (Encyclopedia of East Asian Art, 2015), even replacing these original medias to be used in religious, and ceremonial matters. “A method of casting bronze using multiple ceramic moulds was invented, resulting in the production of extraordinary ritual vessels intricately decorated in relief” (The Metropolitan Museum Of Art, 2015) ,thus increasing the new technologies popularity. Because this new technology was only available to the richest people during the period, this caused a significant break in class barriers and further heightened class differences. In addition, slavery began during the Shang Dynasty further contributing to the separation of the