Shi Tao Calligraphy Study

This dissertation is a thematic study of the great early Qing Dynasty artist,painter,and calligrapher,Shi Tao(石涛1642-1707).Contents of the dissertation are as follows:The first chapter focuses on Shi Tao's life experience and social relationships,especially the familiar relation between Shi Tao and Badashanren(八大山人1626-1705).They were described as cognate brothers or uncle and nephew in some monograph,but that is impossible.According to The History of Ming Dynasty(Mingshi明史),they were four generations apart in the family lineage.The second chapter explores the internal relation and characteristics in Shi Tao's calligraphy and Chinese painting whose works showed us a spirit of rebellion and that was also ahead of his time,whereas he studied abundant of great works by his predecessors and other artistic heritage,especially from others' convention techniques.Shi Tao was profoundly influenced by painters such as Su Shi(苏轼1037-1101),Ni Zan(倪瓒1301-1374),Dong Qichang(董其昌1555-1636),and Zheng Fu(郑簠1622-1693).The third Chapter mainly analyzes the significance on constructing of calligraphy in Shi Tao's Chinese paintings.There are chiefly two items:the configurations of brushstrokes and the compositions.The fourth chapter chiefly discussed Shi Tao's contribution to the theory of calligraphy and Chinese painting.He was an expert on theories of painting.He was highly gifted in literature,poetry,calligraphy and painting.In his later years,he had a sound knowledge of Buddhism,Taoism and Confucian philosophy.His best-known book,Quotation of Painting(Hua Yu Lu画语录),holds an important position in the history of Chinese painting.There are lots of different views about his individualistic conception of "One Stroke" theory(Yi Hua一画) for it's very unintelligible.This paper explained from the view of calligraphic culture,and provided an overview of his theory. The fifth chapter mainly disserted Shi Tao's historical appraisement and he has exerted an important influence on the later Chinese painters,particularly "Yang Zhou School".In addition, his Chinese painting theories also influence a famous esthetician named Zong Baihua(宗白华1897-1986).The chapterⅤsection3 mainly analyzed their relationship of viewpoint of aesthetics. There are two appendixes at the end of this dissertation.The first list is Shi Tao' works and life experience and other background information.The second one is Shi Tao's works with unclear date,so as to give readers a reference.The dissertation combine calligraphy with Chinese painting of Shi Tao,can reveal the development venation and cultural identity context.Chinese calligraphy is an important carrier of traditional culture and heritage of one of the ways of the literati painting the formation and development have a profound impact,Shi Tao's works are no exception.Through his poetry and calligraphy and painting will be organically unified,The form of painting is no longer a simple object representation,but given the author's aesthetic and ideological feelings,the thought has enriched the painting to enhance the aesthetic mood of the paintings and cultural tastes. Therefore,to carry out case studies of his calligraphy to better interpreted the characteristics of his painting and calligraphy art.