art history

Chairman Mao en Route to Anyuan . Artist unknown; based on an oil painting by Liu Chunhua. c. 1969 C.E. Color lithograph.  Striding atop a mountain peak wearing a look of determination on his face, Chairman Mao en Route to Anyuan shows a young Mao Zedong  Chinese Communist revolutionary, founding father of the People's Republic of China, and leader of China from 1949-76 Liu Chunhua celebrated Chairman Mao and his longstanding commitment to Communist Party ideals. Painted in 1967 at the dawn of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, this work uses socialist realism to portray Chairman Mao as a revolutionary leader committed to championing the common people. During the Cultural Revolution (1966-76), artists focused on creating portraits of Mao, or “Mao paintings,” which represented Mao’s effort to regain his hold after bitter political struggles within the party. the movement aimed to quell criticisms of Mao in drama, literature, and the visual arts. More broad...

Under the Wave off Kanagaw a (Kanagawa oki nami ura), also known as the Great Wave, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. Katsushika Hokusai. 1830– 1833 C.E. Polychrome woodblock print; ink and color on paper. one of the most famous works of art in the world Hokusai’s print displays the influence of Dutch art, and proved to be inspirational for many artists working in Europe later in the nineteenth century. Mount Fuji does not always dominate the frame. Under the Wave off Kanagawa is full of visual play. The mountain, made tiny by the use of perspective, appears as if it too will be swallowed up by the wave. Hokusai has arranged the composition to frame Mount Fuji. he white top of the great wave creates a diagonal line that leads the viewers eye directly to the peak of the mountain top. Hokusai discovered Western prints that came to Japan by way of Dutch trade. From the Dutch artwork Hokusai became interested in linear perspective.  The influence of Dutc...

White and Red Plum Blossoms. Ogata Korin. c. 1710–1716 C.E. Ink, watercolor, and gold leaf on paper. Ogata Kôrin transforms a very simple landscape theme—two flowering trees on either side of a brook—into a dream vision. the image seems both abstract and realistic at the same time.  Its background, a subtle grid of gold leaf, denies any sense of place or time and imbues everything with an ethereal glow.  The stream’s swelling metallic curls and spirals are a make-believe of flowing water, and its sharply tapered serpentine contour lines angle the picture plane in an unnatural upward tilt.  the artist's intimate knowledge of how a plum tree grows can be seen in their writhing forms and tangle of shoots and branches. The trunks of the trees are nothing more than pools of mottled color without so much as an outline.  These forms and spaces appear flat to the eye.  function of the folding screen within the traditional Japanese interior.  a vi...

Jahangir Preferring a Su Shaikh to Kings . Bichitr. c. 1620 C.E. Watercolor, gold, and ink on paper. In this miniature painting, Jahangir Preferring a Sufi Shaikh to Kings , flames of gold radiate from the Emperor’s head against a background of a larger, darker gold disc. A slim crescent moon hugs most of the disc’s border, creating a harmonious fusion between the sun and the moon, and symbolizing the ruler’s emperorship and divine truth. The Emperor is the biggest of the five human figures painted, and the disc with his halo—a visual manifestation of his title of honor—is the largest object in this painting. Jahangir faces four bearded men of varying ethnicity, who stand in a receiving-line format on a blue carpet embellished with arabesque flower designs and fanciful beast motifs. Below the Shaikh, and thus, second in the hierarchical order of importance, stands an Ottoman Sultan. The unidentified leader, dressed in gold-embroidered green clothing and a turban ...

 Ryoan-ji. Kyoto, Japan. Muromachi Period, Japan. c. 1480 C.E.; current design most likely dates to the 18th century. Rock garden. Ryōanji is a temple located in north Kyoto, Japan affiliated with a branch of Zen Buddhism. The followers of Zen Buddhism pursued “enlightenment” or “awakening” by means of self-introspection and personal experience in daily life. The quintessence and aesthetics of Zen is epitomized in the rock garden and architecture of Ryōanji.   Ryōanji thrived as a great Zen center for the cultural activities of the elite from the late 16th through the first half of the 17th century under the patronage of the Hosokawa family. is regarded as an expression of Zen art and a symbol of Zen Buddhism and Japanese culture.   The Ryōanji garden is the one of the most famous examples of a rock garden—a form which developed during the Moromachi period (1392-1573)  This type of garden consists of rocks and pebbles rather than veg...

Forbidden City. Beijing, China. Ming Dynasty. 15th century C.E. and later. Stone masonry, marble, brick, wood, and ceramic tile.    The Forbidden City is a large precinct of red walls and yellow glazed roof tiles located in the heart of China’s capital, Beijing. the Forbidden City is composed of more than 90 palace compounds including 98 buildings The Forbidden City was the political and ritual center of China for over 500 years. After its completion in 1420, the Forbidden City was home to 24 emperors, their families and servants during the Ming (1368–1644) and the Qing (1644–1911) dynasties. Although it is no longer an imperial precinct, it remains one of the most important cultural heritage sites   In order to solidify his power, the Chengzu emperor moved the capital, as well as his own army, from Nanjing in southeastern China to Beijing and began building a new heart of the empire, the Forbidden City.  While no major change has b...

Portrait of Sin Sukju   (1417–1475). Imperial Bureau of Painting. c. 15th century C.E. Korea. Hanging scroll (ink and color on silk). This painting depicts Sin Sukju (1417-75) as a “meritorious subject,” or an official honored for his distinguished service at court and loyalty to the king during a tumultuous time.  Skilled in capturing the likeness of the sitter while still adhering to pictorial conventions, artists in the Royal Bureau of Painting (a government agency staffed with artists) created portraits of officials awarded this honorary title.  The Chosŏn or Yi dynasty, was founded in 1392 by the military leader Yi Sŏng-gye and lasted until 1910. It was the last imperial dynasty and the longest in Korea's history. This painting shows Sin Sukju dressed in his official robes with a black silk hat on his head.  In accordance with Korean portraiture conventions, court artists pictured subjects like Sin Sukju seated in a full-length view, often wit...

The David Vases . Yuan Dynasty, China. 1351 C.E. White porcelain with cobalt-blue underglaze. These vases are among the most important examples of blue-and-white porcelain in existence, and are probably the best-known porcelain vases in the world. They were made for the altar of a Daoist temple; originally the vases, modeled after bronzes, had porcelain rings attached through the elephant head shaped handles.These vases were owned by Sir Percival David (1892–1964), who built the most important private collection of Chinese ceramics in the world.

Night Attack on the Sanjô Palace .   Kamakura Period, Japan. c. 1250–1300 C.E. Handscroll (ink and color on paper) It is hard to imagine an image of war that matches the visceral and psychological power of the Night Attack on the Sanjô Palace.   It also is a prime example of the action‐packed otoko‐e, “men’s paintings,” created in the Kamakura period. A handscroll is meant to be held and unrolled section by section horizontally in contrast to a scroll that is intended to be hung and is vertically oriented. The Kamakura period lasted from 1185 until 1333. It was initiated by the Shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo and marked the beginning of feudal Japan and the samurai caste.  Designed to be unrolled in sections for close‐up viewing, it shows the basic features of this pictorial form: a bird’s eye view of action moves right‐to‐left  The attention to detail is so exact that historians consider it a uniquely valuable reference for this period: from ...

Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja) . Hindu; India (Tamil Nadu), Chola Dynasty. c. 11th century C.E. Cast bronze The art of medieval India, like the art of medieval Europe, was primarily in the service of religion. The devotee’s spiritual experience was enhanced by meditation inspired by works of art and architecture. Nataraja”—nata meaning dance or performance, and raja meaning king or lord this particular statue was intended to be movable, which explains its moderate size and sizeable circular base, ideal for lifting and hoisting onto a shoulder. From the 11th century and onwards, Hindu devotees carried these statues in processional parades as priests followed chanting prayers and bestowing blessings on people gathered for this purpose. In a religious Hindu context, the statue is the literal embodiment of the divine. When the worshiper comes before the statue and begins to pray, faith activates the divine energy inherent in the statue, and at that moment, Shiva is p...

Travelers among Mountains and Streams. Fan Kuan. c. 1000 C.E. Ink and colors on silk. Fan Kuan’s masterpiece is an outstanding example of Chinese landscape painting.  Bounded by mountain ranges and bisected by two great rivers—the Yellow and the Yangzi—China’s natural landscape has played an important role in the shaping of the Chinese mind and character. From very early times, the Chinese viewed mountains as sacred and imagined them as the abode of immortals.  During the tumultuous Five Dynasties period in the early 10th century; recluse scholars who fled to the mountains saw the tall pine tree as representative of the virtuous man gnarled pine trees and other symbolic elements were transformed into a grand and imposing landscape style. Fan Kuan painted a bold and straightforward example of Chinese landscape painting.  Nearly seven feet in height, the hanging scroll composition presents universal creation in its totality, and does so with the most economic ...

 Lakshmana Temple. Khajuraho, India. Hindu, Chandella Dynasty. c. 930–950 C.E Sandstone. The Lakshmana temple was the first of several temples built by the Chandella kings in their newly-created capital of Khajuraho. Between the 10th and 13th centuries, the Chandellas patronized artists, poets, and performers, and built irrigation systems, palaces, and numerous temples out of sandstone.  80 temples existed at this site, including several Hindu temples dedicated to the gods Shiva, Vishnu, and Surya. Approximately 30 temples remain at Khajuraho today.  The Lakshmana Temple is an excellent example of Nagara style Hindu temple architecture. the shrine of Nagara temples include a base platform and a large superstructure known as sikhara (meaning mountain peak), which viewers can see from a distance. Devotees approach the Lakshamana temple from the east and walk around its entirety—an activity known as circumambulation. They begin walking along the large plinth of ...

Angkor, the temple of Angkor Wat, and the city of Angkor Thom, Cambodia. Hindu, Angkor Dynasty. c. 800–1400 C.E. Stone masonry, sandstone. Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia is the largest religious monument in the world. greatest religious construction project in Southeast Asia. Angkor Wat is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu who is one of the three principal gods in the Hindu pantheon Among them he is known as the “Protector.” The major patron of Angkor Wat was King Suryavarman II Many scholars believe that Angkor Wat was not only a temple dedicated to Vishnu but that it was also intended to serve as the king’s mausoleum in death. The construction of Angkor Wat likely began in the year 1116 C.E.—three years after King Suryavarman II came to the throne—with construction ending in 1150, shortly after the king’s death The building of temples by Khmer kings was a means of legitimizing their claim to political office and also to lay claim to the protection and powers of t...

Borobudur Temple. Central Java, Indonesia. Sailendra Dynasty. c. 750–842 C.E. Volcanic-stone masonry. The idea of path is an important concept in Buddhism, and is essential in understanding the meaning and purpose of one of the most remarkable and impressive monuments in the world Located on the island of Java in Indonesia, the rulers of the Śailendra Dynasty built the Temple of Borobudur around 800 C.E. as a monument to the Buddha  Candi Borobudur’s design was conceived of by the poet, thinker, and architect Gunadharma, considered by many today to be a man of great vision and devotion. Its basic structure resembles that of a pyramid, yet it has been also referred to as a caitya (shrine), a stupa (reliquary), and a sacred mountain. Set high upon a hill vertically enhanced by its builders to achieve a greater elevation, Borobudur consists of a series of open-air passageways that radiate around a central axis mundi (cosmic axis).  Devotees circumambulate clockwise ...

Todai-ji. Nara, Japan. Various artists, including sculptors Unkei and Keikei, as well as the Kei School. 743 C.E.; rebuilt c. 1700. Bronze and wood (sculpture); wood with ceramic-tile roo ng (architecture). When completed in the 740s, Todai-ji (or “Great Eastern Temple”) was the largest building project ever on Japanese soil. Its creation reflects the complex intermingling of Buddhism and politics in early Japan The roots of Todai-ji are found in the arrival of Buddhism in Japan in the 6th century. Buddhism made its way from India along the Silk Route through Central Asia, China and Korea. Mahayana Buddhism was officially introduced to the Japanese Imperial court around 552 This connection between sacred and secular power would define Japan’s ruling elite for centuries to come.  Buddhism quickly became associated with the Imperial court whose members became the patrons of early Buddhist art and architecture. These early Buddhist projects also reveal the receptivity o...

Gold and jade crown. Three Kingdoms Period, Silla Kingdom, Korea. Fifth to sixth century C.E. Metalwork. In the fifth and sixth centuries, the Korean peninsula was divided between three rivaling kingdoms. The most powerful of these was the Silla kingdom in the southeast of the peninsula. Chinese emissaries described the kingdom as a country of gold Worn around the forehead, this tree-shaped crown (daegwan) is the headband type found in the south in royal tombs at the Silla capital, Gyeongju.  Between the fifth and sixth centuries, Silla crowns became increasingly lavish with more ornamentation and additional, increasingly elongated branch-like protrusions.  Attached to the branch-like features of the crown are tiny gold discs and jade ornaments called gogok. These jade ornaments symbolize ripe fruits hanging from tree branches, representing fertility and abundance. The Silla crown demonstrates cultural interactions between the Korean peninsula and the Eurasian s...

Funeral banner of Lady Dai (Xin Zhui). Han Dynasty, China. c. 180 B.C.E. Painted silk. The elite men and women of the Han dynasty enjoyed an opulent lifestyle that could stretch into the afterlife. Today, the well-furnished tombs of the elite give us a glimpse of the luxurious goods they treasured and enjoyed. Three elite tombs, discovered in 1972, at Mawangdui, Hunan Province; They are the tombs of a high-ranking Han official civil servant, the Marquis of Dai, Lady Dai (his wife), and their son.  The Marquis’ tomb was not in good condition when it was discovered. However, the objects in the son's and wife's tombs were of extraordinary quality and very well preserved. In Lady Dai's tomb, archaeologists found a painted silk banner over six feet long in excellent condition. Lady Dai’s banner is important for two primary reasons. It is an early example of pictorial (representing naturalistic scenes not just abstract shapes) art in China. Secondly, the banner fe...

Longmen caves. Luoyang, China. Tang Dynasty. 493–1127 C.E. Limestone. the 2300 caves and niches filled with Buddhist art at Longmen in China The steep limestone cliffs extend for almost a mile and contain approximately 110,000 Buddhist stone statues, 60 stupas (hemispherical structures containing Buddhist relics) and 2,800 inscriptions carved on steles (vertical stone markers). Starting as early as the 1st century C.E., Buddhism brought to China new images, texts, ideas about life and death, and new opportunities to assert authority. The Longmen cave-temple complex, located on both sides of the Yi River (south of the ancient capital of Luoyang), is an excellent site for understanding how rulers wielded this foreign religion to affirm assimilation and superiority. Most of the carvings at the Longmen site date between the end of the 5th century and the middle of the 8th century—the periods of the Northern Wei (486­–534 C.E.) through early Tang dynasties (618–907 C.E.)....

Terra cotta warriors from mausoleum of the first Qin emperor of China . Qin Dynasty. c. 221–209 B.C.E. Painted terra cotta. Qin Shihuang (259-210 B.C.E.) conquered much in this life, but his driving purpose was even greater; he sought to conquer death. In order to achieve immortality, he built himself a tomb—a vast underground city guarded by a life-size terracotta army including warriors, infantrymen, horses, chariots and all their attendant armor and weaponry. A sprawling citadel has been unearthed, complete with gardens and stables, bronze ritual vessels, jade jewelry, and a wealth of gold and silver ornaments. insight to the First Emperor’s worldview and enduring influence. During his reign, he introduced the standardization of currency, writing, measurements and more. He connected cities and states with advanced systems of roads and canals. He is also credited with continuing the construction of the Great Wall, which is perhaps the most widely-known symbol still as...

Great Stupa at Sanchi. Madhya Pradesh, India. Buddhist; Maurya, late Sunga Dynasty. c. 300 B.C.E.–100 C.E. Stone masonry, sandstone on dome. hemispherical mound; burial mound of buddha; filled with relics; buddhist teachers and monks; the wheel stands for buddha; cyclical represents the Buddha, the path to Enlightenment, a mountain and the universe all at the same time place of burial or a receptacle for religious objects In Buddhism, the earliest stupas contained portions of the Buddha’s ashes, and as a result, the stupa began to be associated with the body of the Buddha Before Buddhism, great teachers were buried in mounds. Some were cremated, but sometimes they were buried in a seated, meditative position. The mound of earth covered them up. Thus, the domed shape of the stupa came to represent a person seated in meditation much as the Buddha was when he achieved Enlightenment and knowledge of the Four Noble Truths. While stupas have changed in form over the years, their...