ARTH 4020 - Chinese Painting

The course introduces students to Chinese paintings from the painted pottery of the Neolithic period to the 20th century. We will take this opportunity to look both broadly and closely at how the medium of painting became such a powerful visual expression in Chinese culture. We will read treatises (in translation) on paintings that discuss the laws and principles and in effect, inform us how painting are evaluated in Chinese culture. Students are introduced to the different formats of painting and how these different formats dictate our viewing perspectives and experience of narrative (i.e, story telling), figurative, and landscape paintings. In addition, issues such as portraiture, ethnicity and self representation as well as the social status of artists and their lives will also be taken into consideration.