CHEN Ning, MEI Chenyu
(Jingdezhen Ceramic University, Jingdezhen 333403, Jiangxi, China)
Extended abstract:[Background and purposes] Dong Qichang, a famous painter, calligrapher and theorist, was good at painting ink landscapes during the late Ming dynasty, which influenced many aspects of painting, calligraphy and garden design. This study was aimed to focus on the peak period of Kangxi blue and white porcelain development. By comparing Dong Qichang's paintings with the porcelain surface decorations, the influence of Dong Qichang's paintings on Kangxi blue and white landscape decorations was explained through three dimensions of analysis, including compositional subject matter of the paintings, painting expression and artistic style of the paintings. By summarizing the characteristics of Dong Qichang's paintings in terms of composition, subject matter, brushwork and ink, and his unique artistic style, it was found that they correspond to the decorations painted on the blue and white porcelain surfaces during the Kangxi period and that the Kangxi Emperor held Dong Qichang in high esteem. The influence of Dong Qichang's style can also be seen in other fields, so that it is not a coincidence that the influence of Dong Qichang's paintings on the Kangxi blue and white landscape decorations was not coincidental. It was clarified that the landscape patterns of Kangxi blue and white were deeply influenced by Dong Qichang, making clear that Dong Qichang's paintings had a tangible impact on ceramic arts and crafts, thus providing a reference for the exploration of Dong Qichang's influence on other fields of arts and crafts.[Methods] Three methods were used in this research, including Documentary Analysis, Image Research and Image Comparison Study. Through the excavation of historical materials, "Huachanshi Suibi", "Yinliuzhai Shuoci", "Tongyin Lunhua" and "Linquan Gaozhi" were systematically analyzed and integrated, which lays the empirical foundation for analyzing the characteristics of Dong Qichang's paintings. The frequency and distribution of elements in Dong Qichang's paintings are analyzed through the method of iconographic research to summarize their characteristics. In addition, the image comparison method was used to illustrate the inevitable connection between Dong Qichang's painting creations and Kangxi blue and white landscape patterns, by comparing and analyzing Dong Qichang's paintings with those on Kangxi blue and white porcelains and by citing examples of contrasts from the local to the overall level.[Results] During the Kangxi period, the painting of landscape motifs in blue and white porcelain was further developed, where cobalt was able to reproduce the effect of landscape paintings on the surface of the porcelain, resulting in the formation of landscape as a separate motif to decorate ceramics. As a representative Chinese landscape painting style of blue and white porcelain, the influence of Dong Qichang's landscape painting enriched the subject matter and formed a paradigm, which is highly popular. At the same time, Dong Qichang's paintings, calligraphy and theories also influenced a large number of artists, such as Wang Hui, Wang Shimin, Zhang Zhao, Chen Bangyan, etc. Most importantly, they were favored by the Kangxi Emperor and thus Dong Qichang's influence can be seen in both paintings and celadon ceramics in the Kangxi period.[Conclusions] Landscape patterns as an important part of the decorative pattern of blue and white porcelain were painted on its porcelain surface not baseless fabrication, but by the influence of Chinese landscape painting, painted also to the natural mountains and rivers and paper landscape paintings as powder. In the Kangxi period, a large number of independent landscape decorations appeared in blue and white porcelain, in which the elements, composition, brush, ink and painting style were all affected by Dong Qichang ink landscape, so that the Kangxi style of blue and white landscape decoration laid a unique artistic tone. In short, the Kangxi blue and white landscape decoration was affected by Dong Qichang painting, presenting a different artistic style from the previous blue and white landscape decoration. The Kangxi blue and white landscape decoration promoted more copy of ancient, calligraphy and paradigm, forming a unique style of Kangxi blue and white landscape decoration.
Key words: Dong Qichang; blue and white porcelain; painting style; Kangxi period