 The
art of the Chinese scroll painting dates back at least
4,000 years. This
art form is considered by many people as the highpoint
aesthetically speaking during the cultural history of
China civilization.
The Chinese use special brushes and inks to
create calligraphy, which are the same tools used for
the scrolls.
Typically,
the designs include subjects such as animals, birds,
flowers, people, landscapes, and simple calligraphy
that might include inspirational words or messages.
Although wonderful and talented painters are
from all over Chine, the majority come from the
Zhejiang province, which is where this form of
painting was born.
In fact, at the Zhejiang University, students
can learn scroll paintings from very skilled painters.
With
Chinese scroll painting, the Chinese consider there to
be a connection between brush and ink, and color and
silk or paper. The
result of this mythology is that an unusual and very
special body of work is created different from all
other art forms.
The movements are often spontaneous and the
lines appear to be frugal.
Interestingly, many of the great Chinese scroll
painters actually began as talented calligraphers.
Through
these scroll paintings, two things are pursued – one
is appreciation of lyrical quality as it relates to
poetry and art and the other is knowledge.
As you look at the Chinese scroll paintings on
display throughout the world, you will see these two
aspects in each one.
Five
rare Chinese scroll paintings can be seen at the
Hartnell College Foundation where they are a permanent
feature in the Hartnell Gallery.
Donated by Dr. Irving Stuart, these scroll
paintings are nothing less than magnificent.
Here you will find a painting that was created
with the Sumi technique, which dates back to the 17th
Century. This
scroll painting features a beautiful lotus blossom and
water pond. One
of the other paintings comes from the 18th
Century and was painted by a Taoist priest named Tsin
Hsin, depicting a wonderful pine forest, flowing
waterfall, and rock cliff. |
