Along the River During the Ch'ing-ming Festival |
Court painters, Ch'ing Dynasty (1644-1911) This version represents a collaboration by five court painters (Ch'en Mei, Sun Hu, Chih K'un, Tai Hung, and Ch'en Chih-tao) and was finished in 1736. It can be said to be a copy that combines the style and features of previous versions along with unique customs of the Ming and Ch'ing, such as the forms of entertainment popular at the time. The lively activities include a theatrical performance, monkey show, acrobatics, and a martial arts ring to lend a festive air to the scenery. Brilliantly colored and characterized by sure, fine brushwork, this represents a fine example of Ch'ing court painting. Although this handscroll has lost much of the archaic feel of the Sung dynasty version, it is a valuable source of information for late Ming and early Ch'ing life and customs. The style also reflects the influence of Western painting techniques, popular at the court then. The buildings and streets, for example, were rendered with Western-style perspective, and even some Western-influenced architecture appears. The bridge and buildings are depicted in the ruled-line method ("chieh-hua"), and the figures are also exquisitely detailed.
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