Appreciation of World Famous Paintings (8 volumes)

Author: Yu Ming, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-04-01
Features: Painting is an ancient art form that dates back to primitive society. Primitive murals primarily depicted animal images and hunting scenes, closely related to human life at the time. The earliest colored pottery, which emerged in the cradles of the world's major civilizations, involved drawing decorative patterns on pottery bodies before firing. After the emergence of class societies and states, decorative murals became common in palaces, temples, shrines, and tombs. Correspondingly, mosaic painting developed, which involves piecing together colorful pottery fragments, stones, enamel, or small glass pieces to create images. It flourished in ancient Iran, Greece, Rome, and the Byzantine Empire during the Middle Ages. In addition to murals, painting works in the form of standalone scrolls became prominent in China. The earliest known scroll painting is from the late Zhou dynasty. Scroll painting has thrived in China for millennia. From the development of painting art performance and the evolution of artistic trends, we can see that subjective and objective, rational and emotional, individuality and commonality, the strengthening and disappearance of stylistic features, humanity and mechanization, highbrow and popular art, and the aesthetic and anti-aesthetic aspects of art—these are eternal themes that puzzle artists and drive them to continue exploring. As history enters a new century, even more magnificent and refined painting art will undoubtedly shine brightly.