Brush and Ink Painting on Paper Chinese Tang Style Framed 88.5x153cm. This very large framed work was completed at the Art College Xian. The piece is after the Tang Dynasty Style featuring lyrical brushstrokes in pen and ink wash. Size 88x153cm external framed ready to hang.
Chinese paintingis one of the oldest continuous artistic traditions in the world. Painting in the traditional style is known today in Chinese as guóhuà. Ink and wash painting, in Chinese shui-mo (水墨, "water and ink") also loosely termed watercolour or brush painting, and also known as "literati painting". In theory this was an art practiced by gentlemen, a distinction that begins to be made in writings on art from the Song Dynasty though in fact the careers of leading exponents could benefit considerably. This style is also referred to as "xieyi" (寫意) or freehand style.During theTang Dynasty, figure painting flourished at the royal court. Artists such as Zouh Fang depicted the splendor of court life in paintings of emperors, palace ladies, and imperial horses and camels. Figure painting reached the height of elegant realism in the art of the court of Southern Tang (937–975).
Most of the Tang artists outlined figures with fine black lines and used brilliant color and elaborate detail. However, one Tang artist, the master Wu Daozi, used only black ink and freely painted brushstrokes to create ink paintings that were so exciting that crowds gathered to watch him work. From his time on, ink paintings were no longer thought to be preliminary sketches or outlines to be filled in with color. Instead, they were valued as finished works of art.
