Introduction
The works that the Chinese created since the Qing Dynasty marked the essence of its iconography. It gave the Chinese artists a specific place and space in world art, as they rendered subjects, materials and objects in a particular detail, and composition. The Qing Dynasty also gave rise to the portrayal of the Taoye tu that was commissioned by the Emperor Qianlong. The artwork particularly emphasized the manufacturing of the porcelain objects, but it emphasized the illustrations that were portrayed as “sequential viewed sets,” thus, it created a set of ordered visual illustrations. In light of this, it would be interesting to discuss the valued imperial art collection of Emperor Qianlong. The collection includes a number of visual mediums that is evident in the artifacts, the ceramic illustrations, prints, and paintings – especially the works painted on silk and presented as scrolls. It also includes a vast number of poems, and music that was written, indicating the wide spectrum of Qianlong’s interests and appreciation of the arts. Huang, in particular, refers to the intricate role that politics, culture, and art played in the Chinese Dynasties. Thus, the discussion would include parts of the history of the collection but, added to that, would concentrate on the exhibition of the collection at the National Palace Museum in China during the period 8 October 2013 and 7 January 2014.
The Visual Mediums of the Qianlong Collection
In order for one to understand the Qianlong collection, it is necessary to delve into the visual mediums of the Qing Dynasty. This would include ceramic visuals. These are not just the actual objects, but it includes the depiction of these objects on various other materials such as silk banners, bamboo, plastered walls, canvas, alum – that is, it was often included in the composition in paintings and drawings. Painters portrayed the ceramic objects on the banners as well as on tomb walls. The visually appealing porcelain object was just the beginning of the visual impact of the art of the Chinese people. The importance was to create a narrative on the surface of the useful pottery piece. The final purpose of the painted object was to be presented it to someone as a gift. Thus, the painted surfaces – the thematic expression on it – would have been done in light of the particular purpose of the gift. To this day, many people look for crockery with the designs and depictions on them. Unfortunately, these replicas are not always of good quality porcelain, but it is the idea of the visual that attracts the desire. A popular pattern is the willow pattern that is a sort after product – blue an white (see Figure 1). This is to illustrate the importance of the ceramics to the Chinese – as artworks as well as practical objects. They have indeed created masterpieces, and these are found in the Qianlong collection as well.
The Start of the Collection
The collecting of art came with the fact that the rulers of the Qing Dynasty, in particular, wanted to identify with the entire “diverse expanse” they ruled. These collections were large and well documented. The most ardent collector of the arts was Emperor Qianlong. As Huang says his “cultural politics that spurred to a fascinating degree the production of a new genre of visual culture showcasing ceramics.” He was personally involved in the collection as well its documentation. Besides the documentation of the items in the collection, his interests were also in the research of each object. No other collector of his time would go as far as to find the location of the kilns, the typology of the work, and the date authenticity of the objects. This can be seen in the keen observation of the appreciation of the objects and the arts. This observation stretches to the writing of poems to celebrate ceramic objects, and the four albums he created for the bronze objects in his collection. Figure 2 illustrates how art was employed to “describe” poems as well. The poem is called “Zhu Forest,” and it was possibly meant as a gift, as can be gathered from the calligraphic writing – possibly written by the imperial hand.
The National Palace Museum Exhibition of the Qianlong Collection
Not long ago, the National Palace Museum in China exhibited the complete collection of the Emperor Qianlong. It included all the aesthetic valuables the emperor collected over the years he had been in leadership. The exhibition was reminiscent of the meticulous documentation of the artworks by the emperor, and displayed all the genuine items. Figure 3 shows just a few of the vast exquisite collection that was exhibited at the National Palace Museum between 18 October 2013 and 7 January 2014. The exhibition presented the works in its entirety. This meant that it included the all of Qianlong’s art tastes, that is, the artifacts, the catalogues, the dominant designs of the material heritage, the “concrete and systematic presentation” of his artistic taste.”
The First Unit of the Collection
The exhibition is an important part of this discussion as it highlighted the thinking behind the emperor’s collection. It was divided into three units, as the Museum’s website describes. The first part exhibited his introduction to the reasons for collecting art. (“Taste and Cultivation”). Huang Zu, Qianlong’s grandfather, was in fact the initiator of the collection. Under his guidance, Qianlong developed a wealth of knowledge regarding poetry, painting, crafts, and most of his artistic taste. The influence on his entire life, set the scene for his interest in and appreciation of the arts” as well as the consequent desire to collect all the works that are currently in the collection. It is vital to note that by the time Qianlong start collecting art, there was already a substantial number of items in the collection. The collection includes practical items that reveal the great craftsmanship of the artists, such as the porcelain bowl created as “Ru ware.” Thanks to the emperor’s meticulous documentation, the product was named after the place where it was made – Ruzhou (an example is seen in Figure 4).
The Second Unit of the Collection
The second part of the exhibition revealed Qianlong’s systematic collection, and his meticulous recording of the items in the collection. He did so in his own hand, as he was equipped well in calligraphy. See Figure 5 for an example of the writings that became part of the exhibition as well. Amongst these were the concise editions of the complete library of the Four Treasuries (see Figure 6). This part of the exhibition, entitled “Connoisseur production,” exhibited these documents. The large and systematic documents Emperor Qianlong organized, and a range of catalogues that documented the tastes and cultural relics of the collection was exhibited. Furthermore, it also included other documents such as court objects, paintings, calligraphy, rare books, antiquities, and other objects from the scholar’s studio. The poems that were exhibited (that is part of the collection) were seen as “crucial guides to correct moral actions.”
The Third Unit of the Collection
The third part, called the “Art of Living” included the exhibition of Qianlong’s vast and diverse artistic expressions that included up to six decades of artworks. In its entirety, the collection revealed a guideline for many other collections that would later follow in terms of organization and cataloguing. The Qianlong collection was not only a collection of random art. The emperor displayed a distinct artistic taste that was fueled by his knowledge, and the high level of craftsmanship of the products that were created under his rule as well as by the diverse cultures in China. This can be seen especially in the ceramics, and the various mediums. Thus, his sense of “collecting, grading, and production of artworks,” under his watchful eye, “were all inextricably linked, leading to one of the greatest collections of art and artifacts that had ever been assembled.”
Parts of the Collection
The Ruyi Scepters
One could perhaps highlight some of the works that have been included in Qianlong’s collection. Zhang mentions his special affinity with the ruyi scepters (see Figure 7 for an example of such a scepter). The scepter would have been part of the lifestyle collection as he was trained in the teachings of Buddha. Apart from that, the scepter was also a symbolism of imperial power. As Zhang further iterates, it was also a way of showing, through its “repetition and imitation,” “the authority that Qianlong stamped on the country.” According to her, the collection contains about 3000 of these ruyi scepters. Many are embellished with various jewels such as turquoise, lapis lazuli, pearls, rubies, and made from various, such as wood, precious metals, fencai porcelain, ivory and jade. As a lifestyle object, it was a symbolism of a long and healthy life, as well as good fortune. Even when its value as a lifestyle element declined, Qianlong ensured that it had a prominent in paintings. See for example Figure 8: Prince Hongli Practising Calligraphy on a Banana Leaf. The ruyi scepter can be seen, on the table, to the right of the prince. This is an indication of the reasoning and thoughtfulness behind the collection, besides the aesthetic value of the objects. One could also conclude that it contributes to the monetary value of the collection as well.
Portraits of the Qianlong in Various Guises
Included in the collection are the many portraits of Qianlong in various guises, as he represented the various parts of his education and his appreciation of the arts, in particular. An example of such a painting is the one where he is painted as the Bodhisattva Manjusri (see Figure 9). These portraits were also used to celebrate various events in the Chinese culture. Figure 10, for example, illustrates the detail of the Qingming Festival on the River. The painting is a hand scroll with ink and color on silk. This is just one of the many varied mediums used by the Chinese, and what is found in the collection under discussion. The size of this panoramic painting allowed for more than one artist to work on it. It is also just one of the many works that depicts, and gives valuable information regarding the daily life, and historical events. Qianlong’s education, therefore allowed him to create and collect artworks that were more than mere aesthetic expression. It was a chronicle of the culture of the Chinese people, and offers valuable insight into what life was like during the time of the dynasties.
“Ethnographic Illustrations”
Paintings were also used to depict the “the dress and customs of ethnic groups living outside the Central Plain and of foreigners.” These were done as “ethnographic illustrations.” An example of such paintings is the pictorial records that artists were commissioned to create (see Figure 11). This was painted during the reign of Qianlong. As with many of the leaders of the Chinese dynasties, Qianlong commissioned many artists to create works for him. One such artist was Huangqing zhigong tu. He recorded the many nationalities under the Chinese imperial rule at the time. It was a way in which the emperor could peruse the documentation and find pleasure in the many different and diverse cultural dress, for example, as well as the other activities in which both the foreigners as well as nationals participated.
Ceramics in the Collection
One of the disciplines that were created by the Chinese is the excellent ceramics that was made from fine kaolin clay, making it very delicate, but also tough and durable when mixed with other materials. It was not only in the formation of the various types of ceramics, but also the incredibly innovative glazes that were used, the motifs and the illustrations that adorned the finished products (see Figure 12 for an example). This is also seen in the willow pattern as seen in Figure 1. It was also the emperors need to express his taste in the form of already existing art. Many existing works were replicated through his commissions. It was often done in the same mediums or different ones. Many motifs were replicated, such as the dragon, and botanical images.
One thing is certain, the Qianlong collection truly points out the wide footprint of what art should be. It would be anything with aesthetic value, but more so, any two-dimensional or three-dimensional work that ascribes to the any of the fine art disciplines. For this reason he employed many artists, even foreigners to do work for him. Such was the case of the presence of Castiglione at Qianlong’s court. His use of motifs was specifically centered on flowers, and other plant material (see Figure 13). As mentioned, regarding the Willow pattern, the botanical motif was used in many paintings, on ceramics, and other artworks. The ruyi scepter appeared as a motif too, especially during the time of Qianlong’s reign, as he regarded it as a very auspicious object.
The Role of Foreign Artists
It is vital to mention Guiseppe Castiglione, as he did a large body of work for the emperor. Clunas states that he “was commanded to paint more than one image of Qianlong. He was given the task to train other artists in the court in oil painting techniques and perspectival drawings in the way the Europeans created their artworks. According to Clunas, the core of the Imperial collection, or the Qianlong collection, lies particularly in the notation of the works that were created by the emperor. The most important aspect that permeated this study is the fact that there was correlation between collection, the art workshops, and the emperor’s personal interest in certain types of works. An example of this is seen in the Jade carving that went through an elaborate process. The initial work was carved in wax. However, Qianlong decided that the crafters to the south would be better at carving it from the Jade boulder. Thus, another carving was made out of wood, as the wax might have melted on the way to the south. The final product returned to Beijing in 1787 (see Figure 14).
The Footprint of the Collection
The Qianlong collection is so vast that it could take a number of years to discuss all the views and opinions regarding the collection. However, the collection speaks for itself in that it displays the enormity and the importance of the works of art that was accumulated and created by the various dynasties – more so that of the Qianlong. This discussion only scratched a tiny part of the collection, its purpose and its impact on the art of the world. It is a part of art history, and allows for many discussions such as this. As mentioned before, it is an indication of the footprint that other parts of the world should look at for examples of what art can and should constitute. The footprint includes poetry, music, painting on various mediums (scrolls of silk, paper, and ceramic as a few examples), the use of various art mediums, such as ink, gold, as well as enamel and bright mineral colors. Paintbrushes were created from wooden tubes or bamboo that would hold animal hairs with tapered point. The paintbrushes would have been absorbent so that it could be dipped into the various types of ink Exquisite carvings and craftsmanship (skillful artists) has been the visual appeal of the collection. Delicate patterns, and realistic representations have not been a part of this discussion, as it would take pages of writing to exhaust the aesthetic beauty of the collection.
Conclusion
In conclusion, then, one can only revel in the fact that there are a few avenues available to see Chinese artworks, and simply imagine the content of the All Complete Qianlong collection as the National Palace Museum exhibited between 18 October 2013 and 7 January 2014. The hope is that the curators would consider making it part of the permanent exhibition for more people to be able to view these exquisite artworks. The collection includes paintings, artifacts, ceramics, illustrations, prints and various other disciplines such as calligraphy. Calligraphy was part of the emperor’s educational upbringing as well as his teachings on Buddha. The latter is where his love for the ruyi scepter came from. The scepter was included in different scenarios such as in paintings as well as on other materials. It became a motif as much as the botanical elements. The collection, furthermore, included a vast number of poems, music, and other written material. It pointed to the vast spectrum of Qianlong’s interests and appreciation of the arts. He collection indicates the intricate role that the culture, and politics, played in the creation of the Chinese art, and why the collection of these artworks was of such importance. Thus, the discussion included parts of the history of the collection and concentrated on the National Palace Museum exhibition during the period 8 October 2013 and 7 January 2014. The collection is not only a display of the craftsmanship and the aesthetic beauty of the products. It gives historical, and cultural content as well as various methodology of how the artworks were created. It gives the essence of the artworks as created by the court artists and the artworks as collected by the emperor. The collection also provide information regarding the varied types of materials and mediums that were used to create the exquisite products in the collection – a body of work that provides an example of a wide range of disciplines for the art world.
Bibliograhy
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Figure 1: The Willow pattern
Figure 2 Detail of the silk hand scroll that illustrates the poem: Ode to Chen
Figure 3: Some images from the 2013-2014 All Complete Qianlong Exhibition
Figure 4: Porcelain bowl of “Ru ware,” named after the place where it was found, Ruzhou.
Figure 5: Example of the meticulous documentation of the collection
Figure 6: Imperially Endorsed Concise Edition of the Complete Library of the Four Treasuries
Compiled under the order of Emperor Qianlong, Manuscript copy of the Chizaotang Hall,
Qianlong reign (1736-1795), Qing dynasty
Figure 7: A selection of ruyi scepters from the collection
"Selected Ruyi Scepters from the Palace Museum Collection." |The Palace Museum.
Accessed May 03, 2016. http://en.dpm.org.cn/exhibitions/travel/2016-02-01/2385.html.
Figure 8: Prince Hongli Practising Calligraphy on a Banana Leaf.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: Prince_Hongli_Practising_Calligraphy_on_a_Banana_Leaf.png
Figure 9: Portrait of the Qianlong Emperor as the Bodhisattva Manjusri (Detail)
Qing Imperial Workshop, with face by Giuseppe Castiglione (Lang Shining), (Italian, 1688-1766)
Thangka; ink and color on silk, 46.1 x 27 in.; image: 44.3 x 25.1 in. (118.2 x 69.3 cm; image: 113.6 x 64.3 cm)
Purchase, anonymous donor and museum funds, F2000.4 © Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution
http://www.learn.columbia.edu/nanxuntu/html/emperors/
Figure 10: Details of Qingming Festival on the River; Luo Fumin (act. late 18th century)
Handscroll, ink and colour on silk,Height 12.5 em, width 332.2 em
Palace Museum, Beijing
Figure 11: Example of the Pictorial documentation of various cultures
Figure 12: Covered ding vessel with two handles in gold glaze
Qianlong reign (1736-1795),
Qing dynasty
Figure 13: “Assembled Auspicious Objects,” hanging scroll on silk by Guiseppe Castiglione
(known in China as Lang Shinning, 1688-1766 CE), Dated 1715
Figure 14: The Jade carving: “Yu. The Great Taming of the Waters,”
