History of Foreign Art and Crafts

Author: Zhang Fuye
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-09-01
Features: Since humans appeared on Earth, the art of craftsmanship has also begun to emerge. The history of craftsmanship is, in fact, a vivid record of the continuous development, evolution, and progress of human civilization. Over millions of years, the countless craftsmanship works created by people and scattered across the world are all high-capacity carriers of human civilization. The history of craftsmanship is not only a record of human mastery of material skills and the enhancement of their ability to conquer the natural environment, but also provides evidence of the development methods of human society itself. The history of craftsmanship development is also the history of humans pursuing and creating beauty. Various craftsmanship products are the results of this exploration and creation. While engaging in craftsmanship creation, humans have continuously nurtured their own aesthetic standards and appreciation abilities. The ability to interpret, imagine, experience, and negotiate the aesthetics of craftsmanship products—such as their shapes, colors, materials, and the beauty they embody—is a unique spiritual activity and cognitive process that people engage in when using daily necessities and appreciating craftsmanship works. In the long process of craftsmanship creation, humans have not only developed their own aesthetic concepts and creative awareness but have also improved their grasp of and processing techniques for various materials (including natural and artificial materials).