Craftsman, Function And Style

As the range of art has been greatly widen, academic circles paid more and more attentions to the historical relic made by craftsman, which has gradually been regarded as a form of art. Whether or not craftsman's work is art is out of my consideration. However, we can sensitively feel these works full of art and modeling characteristics. That's why this topic needs to be explored and researched on. In fact, there is a large amount and various type of craftsman's work handed down from ancient times, and the number is getting bigger along with the carrying on archaeological excavation. Because of these new discoveries, we are able to stand at a new perspective to see the history of craftsman and their works.The author does not mean to create a system or an art history. Instead, he expects to solve his problems come across his art practice using these results of historical and archaeological research:(1) Reexamining himself and his work, discussing the complicate interdependent relationship between art work and society.(2)Thinking about the background and inner motive of ancient craftsman's inherited techniques and thought(3)Introspecting and making bold attempts to the traditional approach of researching on craftsmanThis paper is not a research of history; as a result, it will not be presented in a historical form. The author will analyze craftsman from three different angles: official ideology, religion and secular society, with materials of Qin Yong, Dunhuang paintings and ancestor paintings in Ming and Qing Dynasty. Each type of material emphasizes on one aspect of craftsman's life. The focus is on the relationship between 'function' and 'style', rather than on 'reason' or the 'result'. The author arrives at his conclusion forming the three aspects together, in another word, finally sketching the outline of craftsman.