(SESA) South, East, and Southeast Asia Painting Research

South, East, and Southeast Asia Painting Research

Even if the artist is skillful, he will not be able to elevate himself above an ordinary craftsman. Their art will be called painting, but in fact it will not be a true art. The Spirit Resonance is a gift of heavens, a natural talent one is born with. It pours straight out of one's soul. Xie He, 5th Century

The painters of Ancient China, swiftly brushing ink and watercolors on silk, were not content merely to imitate nature. They set themselves a more elusive and challenging goal: to capture the spirit as well as the form of their subjects. According to the influential Fifth Century art critic, Xie He (Hsieh Ho), a painter needed to fulfill six canons to be a truly great artist.

  • "Spirit Resonance" or vitality, and seems to translate to the energy transmitted from the artist into the work. The artist must capture the essence of the subject because the spirit animating the image is more important than its exterior appearance. Xie He said that without Spirit Resonance, there was no need to look further.
  • "Bone Method" or the way of using the brush. This refers not only to texture and brush stroke, but to the close link between handwriting and personality. In his day, the art of calligraphy was inseparable from painting.
  • "Correspondence to the Object" or the depicting of form, which would include shape and line. Deliberate distortions would be considered discourteous and show a lack of deference.
  • "Suitability to Type" or the application of color, including layers, value and tone.
  • "Division and Planning" or placing and arrangement, corresponding to composition, space and depth. The composition should be dynamic and meaningful.
  • "Transmission by Copying" or the copying of models, not only from life but also the works of antiquity. The Chinese painter cultivated an understanding and respect of the past by reliving the strokes of the masters.

 

[CC BY 4.0] UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED | IMAGES: LICENSED AND USED ACCORDING TO TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION