Illustrations of Figures in Landscape Paintings Through the Ages

Author: Yang Xianjin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: The great Song Dynasty landscape painter Guo Xi said in Linquan Gaozhi, "Water takes the mountain as its face, pavilions and terraces as its eyes and eyebrows, and fishing as its spirit. Therefore, water gains charm from the mountain, brightness from pavilions and terraces, and a sense of vastness from fishing—this is the arrangement of landscape painting." This shows that in landscape paintings, the decorative elements, though not the main subject, play an extraordinary role in "adding the finishing touch to a dragon." At the same time, these decorative items in landscape paintings carry the individual personalities of different painters and the aesthetic views of different social strata. For example, the decorative elements in the landscape paintings of Baishan Shanshan and Shitao are either "reclusive" or "bleak," which perfectly match their own attitude of cynicism and defiance. Painters like Yan Wengui, Qiu Ying, and Yuan Jiang, who painted for high-ranking officials and nobles, often adorned the landscapes with luxurious buildings, making the viewer feel as if they were in a celestial realm where "music and singing return to courtyard lodgings, and lanterns shine below terraces." As for literati painters like Ni Zan and Dong Qichang, their decorative elements in landscape paintings often include thatched huts, solitary pavilions, scholars, and servants, reflecting their desire to renounce the worldly and return to the tranquility of nature. The ancients said that landscape paintings have the magic of "not leaving the hall but sitting amidst forests and gorges." Landscape paintings and their related decorative elements reflect the aesthetic tastes of both the author and the viewer. Therefore, the portrayal of these decorative elements is particularly important. As Guo Xi said, the decorative elements are the "eyes" of the painting. Throughout history, great landscape painters have always focused on these "painting eyes," with Tang Yin, Shitao, Qiu Ying, and Yuan Jiang being masters of decorative elements. In conclusion, the decorative elements in landscape paintings can help the author deepen the theme and express a more profound artistic emotion; for readers, they can bring a deeper aesthetic appreciation and artistic enjoyment.