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A Study on the Relationship Between Chinese Calligraphy and Painting in the Painter Colony of the 20Th Century: a Case Study of Zhang Daqian

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A Study on the Relationship Between Chinese Calligraphy and Painting in the Painter Colony of the 20Th Century: a Case Study of Zhang Daqian ISSN 1927-0232 [Print] Higher Education of Social Science ISSN 1927-0240 [Online] Vol. 6, No. 3, 2014, pp. 94-99 www.cscanada.net DOI:10.3968/4851 www.cscanada.org A Study on the Relationship Between Chinese Calligraphy and Painting in the Painter Colony of the 20th Century: a Case Study of Zhang Daqian XU Haidong[a], *. [a]Institute of Chinese Language and Literature, Mobile Post-Doctoral Station of History, Southwest University, Chongqing, China. INTRODUCTION *Corresponding author. Owing to a series of revolutions on political, economic, and ideology fields in the 20th century, distinct times Supported by the Southwest University Fundamental Research Funds characterized the development of Chinese painting at for the Central Universities Fund Project of 2014 (No.SWU1409162). that time, and under the background of Chinese painting Received 11 March 2014; accepted 15 May 2014 and Western painting integration, it presented a trend of Published online 22 May 2015 diversified development, so, different painter colonies held different opinions about the relationship between Abstract calligraphy and painting: some painters approved of Based on the different opinions of the relationship between calligraphy, proposed the theory of calligraphic techniques Chinese calligraphy and painting in the painter colony of into painting, some painters denied calligraphy, advocated the 20th century, we can divide the painter colony in the abandon calligraphy from painting, some painters 20th century into three kinds: calligraphic techniques into followed the traditions, contended the integration of painting, abandon calligraphy from painting, painting calligraphy and painting. This article tries to research the techniques into calligraphy, and Zhang Daqian’s art has different views of the relationship between calligraphy its specific characteristic of calligraphic techniques into and painting in different painter colonies, and focuses painting, that is, his calligraphy emphasizes on copy and on the relationship presented in Zhang Daqian’s art, artistic law, the technique borrowing of calligraphy in his then attempts to reveal the correct relationship that is painting is not obvious, and there is no apparent trace of beneficial to the development of calligraphy and painting “painter’s viewpoint”. Meanwhile, he also makes a learn art, and inspire the development of contemporary Chinese and absorb from Western painting, but the learning of painting. Western painting can’t make him abandon calligraphy from painting. The peculiarity of the relationship between calligraphy and painting in Zhang Daqian’s works derives 1. FUNDAMENTAL TYPES OF THE from his deep understanding of the relationship between RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHINESE calligraphy and painting, and we need to grasp the context of painting history, clarify the time that calligraphy steps CALLIGRAPHY AND PAINTING IN TH in painting and the way that calligraphy affects painting. THE PAINTER COLONY OF THE 20 Key words: The relationship between calligraphy and CENTURY painting; Calligraphic techniques into painting; Influence Based on the differences in the relationship between and reference; Artistic independence Chinese calligraphy and painting in the painter colony of the 20th century, we can divide the painter colony in the Xu, H. D. (2014). A Study on the Relationship Between 20th century into three kinds: calligraphic techniques into Chinese Calligraphy and Painting in the Painter Colony of the 20th Century: a Case Study of Zhang Daqian. Higher painting, abandon calligraphy from painting, painting Education of Social Science, 6 (3), 94-99. Available from: URL: techniques into calligraphy, and the next sections describe http://www.cscanada.net/index.php/hess/article/view/4851 the three kinds respectively. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/4851 Copyright © Canadian Research & Development Center of Sciences and Cultures 94 XU Haidong (2014). Higher Education of Social Science, 6(3), 94-99 1.1 Calligraphic Techniques Into Painting blame on its connection with handwriting. Lin Fengmian In the 20th century, some painters proposed follow the thought that Chinese painting had been throwed into a example of seal character and official script in the learning chaos, in which all painters tried to simplify their drawing of calligraphy, and the sense of vigorous and stylish in seal objects. He also believed the intervention into painting character and majuscul seal script appeared in paintings, of calligraphy is one important reason. In his view, it’s in the concept of calligraphy, there presented a epigraphic a duty for future paintings to express real feelings, thus aesthetic tendency, the representative individuals are Wu tools and technique reformation become a must. He Changshuo, Qi Baishi, Huang Binhong, Li Keran, Pan also pointed out, “Why our painters always can’t help Tianshou and so on. These painters inherited the tradition stepping into the dead end of tradition, apery and cheat? of calligraphic techniques into painting in literati paintings It is probably because of the materials and tools we that originated in Ming and Qing Dynasty, and they use make us have no better options. For instance, the advocated that the painters should have high calligraphic paper, pigment and painting brush we used for drawing attainments, all of the instance, Wu Changshuo believed are exactly the same with those for handwriting; as a that painting derived from calligraphy, an extremely result, we paint with calligraphy skills and rules. Should excellent art which will never be unnecessary. Huang we stick to rigid tradition and make no improvement Binhong went even further; he believed calligraphy is the merely because we get used to it?” Wu Guanzhong, mother of painting: “painting is almost like handwriting, Lin Fengmian’s student, inherited his tutor’s viewpoint. and the tools for Chinese painting as painting brush and His deceleration of “handwriting is nothing to do with ink are all borrowed from calligraphy” (Huang, 1999). painting” has drawn enormous attention in modern art Under the influence of tablet calligraphy theory, those circle. Though the “handwriting” here is actually “isolated painters’ writing style was imprinted with distinctive handwriting separated from specific picture”, his bold marks of their time. “After the rein of Qian Long and Jia negation of handwriting impacted many painters: Many Qing, epigraphy sprang up. At that time, calligraphers like modern Chinese painters lack calligraphy skills. They Deng Wanbai, Bao Shenbo and He Shaoji all proposed think calligraphy is bad for their production and manage promoting tablet calligraphy of Qin, Han and Northern to shake off the so-called restraints. We can conclude this Wei Dynasty. In contrast, Jin Dongxin, Zhao Huiquan and group as “out of the shadow of handwriting” group. Wu Foulu absorbed tablet calligraphy into calligraphy, 1.3 Absorbing Painting Skills Into Handwriting implanting it with new characters of powerfulness, Besides the two painter groups we just mentioned above, satiation, simplicity and luxuriance.” They wrote on th there were plenty of painters of 20 century trying to apply drawing papers with distinct tablet style. I hereby painting skills to calligraphy. They learnt either space conclude it as tablet-oriented painter group.Besides, in the sense and composition sense or the use of ink and water painter group of last century, some advocated applying from painting, which made their calligraphy work full of calligraphy skills to painting, while their expressions were romantic charm of pictures. To pursue formalistic integrity, different from the former painters we had just discussed. they even scarify the integrity of characters and neglect its They learnt widely from other’s points, made beautiful readability. To be specific, among painters who hold this and elegant handwritings, and admitted Wang Xizhi’s and viewpoint and put it into practice, some made it, while his son Wang Xianzhi‘s dominating role in calligrapher some broke it. Winners insisted on a calligraphy-oriented circles. They attached great importance on training and position, made merits of painting serve for handwriting, cultivation in many more other fields, and applied to their and enriched the visionary world of the latter’s, thus drawing productions in return. Wu Hufan and Fu Xinshe influenced contemporary calligraphy creation and theory. are main representatives of this group. Distinctive from Especially since 1980s, with the wide spread of modern the tablet-oriented painter group, although this group calligraphy movements and the prevalence of calligraphy agreed with applying calligraphy skills to painting, they displays, the tendency became more and more adoptable. paid more attention to learning its sprits and principles Losers equated handwriting with painting, dismembered rather than techniques and styles. I hereby conclude this the artistic independence of calligraphy, which brought one as Classic group. negative effects to the progress of calligraphy. 1.2 Out of the Shadow of Handwriting Due to the historical and social earthquake in the 20th century, Chinese painting witnessed a great series of 2. A CASE STUDY: PAINTINGS ABSORBED transformation of itself. The early 20th century is a period HANDWRITING SKILLS—RESEARCH of learning from western painting, during which China’s cultural elites opened a furious debate on the strengths and ON PAINTING AND HANDWRITING weaknesses of Chinese painting. They started to reflect RELATIONSHIP IN ZHANG DAQIAN’S
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