The Chinese art tradition is guided by specific aesthetic principles, philosophical values and historic lineage. In this series, the Post introduces basic approaches to appreciating Chinese art and the cultural context that can help unlock the secrets of one of the world’s oldest artistic traditions.
Western art history is a parade of styles. Baroque gave way to neoclassicism; realism was followed by Impressionism. The history of Chinese art, on the other hand, is marked by imperial dynastic eras.
For centuries, the imperial court was the main tastemaker in China, so looking at Chinese artworks in the context of the dynasty in which they were produced “is coherent with political and artistic changes”, according to Elaine Kwok Yin-ning, professor of art history at the Department of Digital Arts and Creative Industries at Hong Kong’s Lingnan University.
