The Art of Calligraphy in Asia
Calligraphy, the art of beautiful writing, was long considered the supreme art form in China, Japan, and Korea. This elevated status reflects the importance of the written word in East Asian cultures. In ancient China, early emperors asserted their power by engraving edicts or pronouncements on stone in their own calligraphic script. The elite members of society were scholarofficials, whose status was attained by their command of the written word. In addition to the central role played by writing in Chinese culture, the visual form of the language also contributed to the distinctiveness of the calligraphic tradition. The vast number and complexity of the characters that make up the Chinese script presented artists with a unique platform on which to explore the creative possibilities of design.
The writing of Chinese characters-which was then widely adopted in Korea around the fourth century and in Japan in the mid-sixth century-was thought to be the purest visual manifestation of the writer's inner character and level of cultivation. It was the medium through which a person's thoughts, feelings, and artistry were best conveyed. In looking at a piece of calligraphy, we may admire the way a calligrapher manipulated the brush to create an object of beauty in which rhythmic energy is conveyed through strokes and dots done with ink. Changes in ink gradation, the relationship between characters, and the elegance of a single line can entice viewers regardless of the legibility of the text. The calligraphy on display in this installation, dating from the fourth century to the present day, demonstrates the written language's lasting appeal as a vehicle for creating highly individualized works of art.
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Ritual to Pray for Good Harvest (Xingrang tie 行穰帖)Ritual to Pray for Good Harvest (Xingrang tie 行穰帖), undated
Eastern Jin dynasty, 317–420
Chinese
Wang Xizhi 王羲之, 303–361 -
Scroll for Zhang Datong (Zeng Zhang Datong guwen ti ji 贈張大同古文題記)Scroll for Zhang Datong (Zeng Zhang Datong guwen ti ji 贈張大同古文題記), 1100
Northern Song dynasty, 960–1127
Chinese
Huang Tingjian 黃庭堅, 1045–1105 -
Quatrain on an Autumn FanQuatrain on an Autumn Fan, undated
Southern Song dynasty, 1127–1279
Chinese
Gaozong [宋]高宗, 1107 - 1187, r. 1127-1162 -
Quatrain on AutumnQuatrain on Autumn, undated
Southern Song dynasty, 1127–1279
Chinese
Yang Meizi 楊妹子, 1162–1232 -
Record of the Miaoyan Monastery (Huzhou Miaoyansi ji 湖州妙巖寺記)Record of the Miaoyan Monastery (Huzhou Miaoyansi ji 湖州妙巖寺記), ca. 1309–10
Yuan dynasty, 1271–1368
Chinese
Zhao Mengfu 趙孟頫, 1254–1322 -
Poem on Lake TaiyePoem on Lake Taiye, undated
Ming dynasty, 1368–1644
Chinese
Wen Zhengming 文徵明, 1470–1559 -
Calligraphy after Wang XizhiCalligraphy after Wang Xizhi, 1643
Ming dynasty, 1368–1644
Chinese
Wang Duo 王鐸, 1592–1652 -
"Clearing at Dusk," A Poem by Tu Fu"Clearing at Dusk," A Poem by Tu Fu, undated
Ming dynasty, 1368–1644 | early Qing dynasty, 1644–1912
Chinese
Fu Shan 傅山, 1607–1684/85 -
Poem on Greenwood Shade and Azure MountainsPoem on Greenwood Shade and Azure Mountains, undated
Qing dynasty, 1644–1912
Chinese
Zha Shibiao 查士標, 1615–1698 -
Bamboo and CalligraphyBamboo and Calligraphy, 1750
Qing dynasty, 1644–1912
Chinese
Jin Nong 金農, 1687–1764 -
Flowers and Calligraphy (Hua niao za hua ce 花鳥雜畫冊)Flowers and Calligraphy (Hua niao za hua ce 花鳥雜畫冊), 1737
Qing dynasty, 1644–1912
Chinese
Gao Fenghan 高鳳翰, 1683–1748/49 -
Flowers and Calligraphy (Hua niao za hua ce 花鳥雜畫冊)Flowers and Calligraphy (Hua niao za hua ce 花鳥雜畫冊), 1737
Qing dynasty, 1644–1912
Chinese
Gao Fenghan 高鳳翰, 1683–1748/49
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