The Wonders of Technique

Although tapestries, embroideries, lacquered-silk paintings, and woodblock color prints in Chinese art were all often based on painting models, their materials and methods of production vary considerably, yielding a wide range of artistic effects. Tapestry and embroidery, by virtue of the different thickness in the silk threads and the luster, weaving, and spacing of the needlework, frequently feature compositions that are even more spectacular and eye-catching. Lacquered-silk painting involves using viscous lacquer spread with varying thickness to create bird-and-flower portrayals with less fluid brushwork but a more archaic effect. And in the late Qing dynasty, Catalogue of Lyrical Works from the Wenmei Studio was published using the technique of multi-colored woodblock printing. During this process, carved wood blocks were superimposed with carefully arranged shades of color that produced a rich effect similar to layered washes in flower painting, retaining the spirit of the originals and coming closest to the effect of wash painting.

Five of the fourteen leaves in this album have been selected for this exhibit. The methods of portrayal vary, including needlework for the petals or using ink outlines to convey the leaf veins. The petals twist and turn with leaves in varying poses, the layering of the bird feathers also having the effect of washes, reflecting great originality brimming with vitality as well.

Lacquered-silk painting involves applying lacquer onto a woven silk surface and then painting with colors. In antiquity, lacquer painting was used to adorn such objects as zithers, makeup cases, dishes, and screens, the art of lacquerware encompassing such techniques as carved lacquer, embossed lacquer, and painting. This album features black lacquer applied over silk and then a small quantity of oil or lacquer mixed with pigments painted in layer upon layer on the surface. The method differs from lacquer painting, representing an alternative to traditional techniques.

The illustration here comes from Manual on Birds, one of eight painting manuals in Painting and Calligraphy Manuals from the Shizhu Studio published by Hu Zhengyan in the late Ming dynasty. Hu first invited artists to do paintings and then used the "block" method to apply colors on different wood blocks based on the originals. They were then printed in order on a wood block and engraved in intaglio to create a relief carving in the "stamp" method to make the woodblock color prints. Manual of Birds depicts different kinds of birds, the painter of the original here having depicted a titmouse about to catch a wasp. The bird leans down clinging to an old vine ready to snatch the insect. The color-set method of woodblock printing here has yielded an effect similar to that of painting.