Lotus and Birds in the Cincinnati Art Museum: Philosophical Syncretism in The
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Lotus and Birds in the Cincinnati Art Museum: Philosophical Syncretism in the Transitional Work of Bada Shanren THESIS Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Mina Kim, B.A. * * * * * Graduate Program in History of Art The Ohio State University 2012 Master’s Examination Committee: Professor Julia F. Andrews, Advisor Professor Youn-mi Kim Copyright by Mina Kim © 2012 Abstract This thesis, which focuses on the late Ming and early Qing dynasty Chinese artist Bada Shanren (Zhu Da, 1626-1705), explores three facets of his painting: his gradual artistic development through his bird and flower paintings; his syncretic philosophical references to Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism in his art; and the artistic conversation that occurs between Bada Shanren and later generations. A descendent of the Ming dynasty Prince of Yiyang, Bada was raised and educated in an aristocratic family of collectors, artists, and poets in Jiangxi. He entered the priesthood after the fall of the Ming dynasty, rising to become temple abbot. At the age of 50 he left the temple, but was soon pressured from all directions--to collaborate with the Qing, to serve a Ming revival, and to produce heirs. Feigning insanity, or perhaps temporarily mad, he apparently lived as a hermit for a decade, and then became a professional painter. In the absence of detailed contemporary records, his paintings and cryptic poems survive as the only primary documents of his life. This thesis takes as its subject a little-studied handscroll painting, Lotus and Birds, painted in 1690 and currently held in the Cincinnati Art Museum. Through the close reading of its thematic and formal properties in the context of other dated works, this paper proposes that it represents a seminal example of a shift that occurred in Bada’s artistic vision. Before 1690, most of his works express his troubled personal feelings as an unfortunate Ming imperial survivor. Henceforth, his painting begins to demonstrate his gradual artistic maturity with greater formal ii fluency and originality, as well as expressive and psychological power. Through careful examination of dated artwork, the artist’s gradual evolution as a painter will be explored. Further issues to be examined are both the various art historical styles and syncretic philosophical themes of Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism in his art. Was he a mad man or an eccentric individualist? I will explore this question from an art historical perspective that delves into a larger movement of individualism during the seventeenth century. In conclusion, we find that the stylistic evolution in Bada Shanren’s painting came to a crucial point of transition around 1690 that is well exemplified in the Cincinnati Art Museum’s Lotus and Birds. New visions of space and newly self-expressive brushstrokes create images to challenge the viewer. At the same time, his changes in life status were intertwined with philosophical and religious impulses that emerge in this period as a form of a philosophical syncretism. The Cincinnati handscroll brings together these two aspects of his art, his spontaneous brushwork and his profoundly individualistic subject matter in a way that comes to define Bada Shanren’s most characteristic works of art. iii To my parents and my husband iv Acknowledgments I would first of all like to thank my advisor, Professor Julia F. Andrews, who loves paintings and nurtures my own love affair with Chinese art. Her warm advice and encouragement opened my eyes to new worlds in my work on Bada Shanren’s art and her unfaltering guidance and support make me enjoy my research. I am particularly grateful to Professor Youn-mi Kim, who served as the second member of my thesis committee and gave me very helpful comments and suggestions regarding the exploration of Bada Shanren’s Buddhist aspects through his artworks. I extend my deepest gratitude. My warmest appreciation also goes to Professor Martin J. Powers and Professor Kevin Carr, who were my undergraduate teachers at the University of Michigan, and Professor J. P. Park, who has been my mentor from Michigan and now is at University of Colorado Boulder. Without them, I could not have studied East Asian art history. I also owe a great debt to the curator at the Cincinnati Art Museum, Dr. Hou-mei Sung, who provided me access to Bada Shanren’s Lotus and Birds in storage and allowed me to spend much time exploring the painting. Finally, after I have used my all words, I cannot find enough to express my warmest thanks to my parents, Sujeong Kim and Okbun Yang and my beloved husband, Kyungyong Lee for their endless love and support throughout my life. v Vita 2007…………………………………….................B.A. History of Art, with High Distinction, The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor 2010-2011………………………………………...University Fellowship, Graduate School, The Ohio State University 2011-Present……………………………………..Graduate Teaching Associate, Department of History of Art, The Ohio State University Fields of Study Major Field: History of Art vi Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................... v Vita ................................................................................................................................................. vi Fields of Study ............................................................................................................................... vi Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................... vii List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ ix INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………….…….1 CHAPTER ONE Lotus and Birds in Cincinnati as Bada Shanren (Zhu Da)’s Transitional Work …………………………………………………………………………………..………...…6 The Life of Bada Shanren (Zhu Da, 1626-1705)....…………..…………………….……….......6 Bada Shanren's Bird and Flower Paintings Divided into Periods.……...…………..…..…….8 Lotus and Birds Handscroll in the Cincinnati Art Museum.………………………....…….....16 Lotus and Birds of 1690 as One of Bada Shanren’s Transitional Works...……………..........19 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………...……….……27 CHAPTER TWO Bada Shanren as an Eccentric Individualist and the Philosophical Syncretism of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism in His Art vii …………………………………………………………………………………....…...…...29 Bada Shanren as One of the Eccentric Individualists ……….………………..………….…..29 Historical and Philosophical Syncretism in Bada Shanren’s Artworks………..……..…….34 1. Buddhist Aspects in Bada Shanren’s Art………………………………………….............34 2. Buddhist, Confucian, and Daoist Syncretism in Bada Shanren's Art…………………......48 Conclusion….………………………………………………………………………….......….....71 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY………………………………………..…………………...…..72 APPENDIX: FIGURES …………………………….…………………….…………...…….….85 viii List of Figures Figure Page 1. Bada Shanren. Lotus and Birds. Dated November 16, 1690. Handscroll, ink on paper, H. 37.5 x L. 330 cm. Cincinnati Art Museum………………………..85 2. Detail of Fig.1………………………………………..……………………….....86 3. Detail of Fig.1……………………………………………………..…..…….......87 4. Detail of Fig.1………………………………………………………..….……....88 5. Detail of Fig.1………………………………………………………..……...…..89 6. Detail of Fig.1………………………………………………………..….……....90 7. Detail of Fig.1…………………………………………………………..….……91 8. Detail of Fig.1…………………………………………………………..….…....92 9. Detail of Fig.1…………………………………………………………..……….93 10. Detail of Fig.1…………………………………………………………..….…....94 11. Detail of Fig.1………………………………………………………….…..…....95 12. Detail of Fig.1……………………………………………………………...…....96 ix 13. Detail of Fig.1……………………………………………………………..…….97 14. Detail of Fig.1……………………………………………………………….......98 15. Huang Anping (active late seventeenth century). Geshan xiaoxiang (Portrait of Geshan, Zhu Da). 1674. Hanging scroll, ink on paper. Bada Shanren Memorial Museum, Nanchang. ……………………………………………..…..99 16. Bada Shanren. Fish and Duck. 1689. Handscroll, ink on paper. Shanghai Museum…………………………………………………………………...........100 17. Detail of Fig. 16…………………………………………………….....…….....101 18. Bada Shanren. Flower Studies. 1659-60. Leaf a, “Melons,” with inscriptions, from an album of fifteen leaves, ink on paper. National Palace Museum, Taiwan, Republic of China………………………………………………….....102 19. Bada Shanren. Flower Studies. 1659-60. Leaf b, “Taro,” with inscriptions, from an album of fifteen leaves, ink on paper. National Palace Museum, Taiwan, Republic of China…………………………………………………….103 20. Bada Shanren. Flower Studies. 1659-60. Leaf f, “Narcissus,” with inscriptions, from an album of fifteen leaves, ink on paper. National Palace Museum, Taiwan, Republic of China……………………………………..……….……..104 21. Bada Shanren. Flower Studies. 1659-60. Leaf k, “Pine blossoms,” with inscriptions, from an album of fifteen leaves, ink on paper. National Palace Museum, Taiwan, Republic of China……………………...…………….…….105 22. Bada Sharen. Flower Studies. 1659-60. Leaf m, “Pine tree,” with inscriptions, from an album of fifteen leaves, ink on paper. National Palace Museum, Taiwan, Republic of China…………………………………………….……....106 23. Bada Shanren. Lotus. 1665. Leaf b, Album of eight leaves, ink on paper. Freer Gallery of Art…………………………………………...…………….....107