Collision And Fusion Between China And The West: A Visual Aesthetic Study Of Painting’s Evolution In Early Period Of Republic Of China (From 1912 To 1937)

Since the end of the 19 th century, western ideology, culture and art which invading China constantly, posed unprecedented impact on traditional Chinese ideology and resulting in a comprehensive cultural and artistic revolution. Undoubtedly, the period from 1912 to 1937 is an important development stage of Chinese modern painting during which painting works underwent huge changes in the collision and fusion between China and the West. This thesis studies the historical changes of painting in the early Republic of China, makes a detailed analysis on the basic connotation, mode of transmission, basic features and spiritual orientation of visual aesthetic during the changing process and describes the effect of such influences and enlightenments on the painting evolution. This thesis mainly studies the role of the concepts of the western culture and arts and the creative methods of painting plays in the modern transition of visual aesthetic and effect of the former on the latter, which is mainly reflected in the following: First, for the purpose of saving the nation, painting needs to describe the true expressions of real and specific images in social reality; second, for the purpose of visual enlightenment, it remands the spectator owns multiple identities, including creator, disseminator and aesthetic mass, and is granted the right to watch; third, The restructuring process of visual aesthetic is influenced by multiple factors, such as social, cultural and other factors behind the visual aesthetic. After the intervention of the ideology of western culture and painting, because of the modern transformation of visual aesthetic, Chinese painting underwent stepwise internalization of its subject spirit through the painting evolution works(visual aesthetic is reflected in such subjects as creation subject and aesthetics accepting subject), which demonstrated the diversified development process of painting.On the basis of a large number of historical documents and materials and by taking the China and the West mode of expression of visual aesthetic as the concern, the monographic study of visual aesthetic during the painting change process in the early Republic of China was analyzed and categorized, and in return this monographic study to some extent tests the reasonableness and effectiveness of theory and historical narrative. These two aspects interact with and bring out the best in each other. Western painting entered the Republic of China in a number of ways, such as introduction of western painting by western missionaries and communication of western painting by overseas Chinese students. Thereafter, painting was represented in multiple ways, such as the emergence of western painting associations, dissemination via art exhibitions, reform of art education and establishment of fine art journals, which to different extents played a role of visual enlightenment and to some extent changed the traditional concept of visual aesthetic, thus facilitating the modern transition of visual aesthetic during the painting change process.Therefore, the reason why this thesis focuses on the analysis and discussion on the historical changes of painting in the early Republic of China from the perspective of visual aesthetic is: On the one hand, the field of fine art theory has made no in-depth discussion directly on the relationship between painting and visual aesthetic, and if any, not so deep as the language media would make discussions on cultural researches. On the other hand, the relationship between painting and visual aesthetic has not been given enough attention. Over the recent years, researches on painting of the early Republic of China have mainly centered on fine art associations, fine art campaigns, market forms or regional schools of painting, which has neither discussed the historical changes of painting from the perspective of the value of visual sense itself nor reflected the sense of construction of macro aesthetic connotation. Therefore, this thesis, in the context of the current society, re-interprets the historical changes of the painting of the early Republic of China from the perspective of visual aesthetic and elaborates and analyzes the subsequent influence and inspiration resulting from such changes to find a brand new way of academic research.This thesis consists of eight parts, i.e., the introduction, six chapters as the main body and the conclusion.The introduction part first illustrates the origin and value of the visual aesthetic research on changes of painting of the early Republic of China in the context of collision and fusion between China and the West and discusses the research status quo, ideas and innovative points at home and abroad, respectively. This thesis highlights the definition of painting of the early Republic of China, presents an analysis of the category of visual aesthetic research, and on that basis, in combination with the research status quo at home and abroad, establishes the research ideas and methods of this thesis.Chapter One defines the concept and scope of visual aesthetic, analyzes the relationship between painting and visual aesthetic, and clarifies the category and basic characteristics of visual aesthetic research of painting of the early Republic of China. On that basis, this thesis analyzes the differences of visual aesthetic in Chinese and western fields of view and discusses the relationship between Chinese and western paintings and visual aesthetic in a systematic way from both Chinese and western points of view. Further, it pinpoints the inner connection between the painting of the early Republic of China and the modern transition of visual aesthetic.Chapter Two analyzes the main causes of formation of painting in modern transition of visual aesthetic based on the historical background of changes of painting of the early Republic of China. At the beginning of the 20 th century, western learning was hotter than ever before as China was open to the outside world. The communication of western thoughts has played an important role in the transformation of Chinese modern society and enlightened the modern transition of visual aesthetic. And on this basis, this article discusses how the western painting intervened China in two ways: first, the western missionaries made a great whoop about the western painting for the sake of religious transmission; second, for the purpose of saving the nation by art, the painters in the Republic of China positively headed for the America, Europe, Japan and the like to learn painting. Moreover, the art revolution influenced by the New Culture Movement thoroughly overturned the traditional visual aesthetic concept held by the Chinese painters. In face of the revolutionary appeal for western painting modernization, Kang Youwei proposed to "combine the Chinese and western ideas to open a new era for painting" and take samples from the "realism" of painting. Chen Duxiu came up with the radical concept that "it is impossible not to follow the example of the western painting", all for the purpose of revitalizing the Chinese culture, crying for the national and democratic revolution and achieving the national position of "national salvation and conservation", which helped the Chinese people get rid of the traditional visual concept and gradually accept or even blend themselves into the western visual aesthetic system.Chapter Three analyzes in details the enlightenment effect and communication approach of visual aesthetic. First, this chapter clarifies the role and value of visual enlightenment in the modern transition of visual aesthetic, which includes the issues in two aspects: for one thing, the variation of the viewing way has formed a new visual dimension in the difference between China and the West, and this dimension is cognized by "how to view"; for the other, the research category of the viewing subject can include the creator, the spreader and the appreciator, and is transformed from "viewing the aesthetics" to "how to view". On that basis, such modes of communication as the emergence of western painting associations, establishment via art exhibitions, institutional reform of art education and establishment of fine art journals changed the traditional sense of visual aesthetic and provided the viewing subjects with multiple media or platforms.Chapter Four probes into the core proposition of this thesis, mainly analyzes and discusses the basic characteristics of painting evolution from the perspective of visual aesthetic in the context of collision and fusion between China and the West. Taking the technique of westernization of Lingnan Painting School as the starting point, this chapter mainly analyzes the budding stage of the innovation of visual aesthetic effect of the visual aesthetic sense of western painting on Lingnan Painting School. Lingnan Painting School would often draw on the method of representation of western painting in an intuitive manner and would enlighten the viewing subjects visually. The second part analyzes the influence of the introduction of western ways of viewing on painters of the Republic of China based on the realistic paintings by painters represented by Xu Beihong and from the following perspectives: first, the close combination of viewing and realistic society; second, the use of western "transparent" viewing rules; third, granting viewing power to the aesthetic mass. The third part emphasizes the reformists advocating China and the West mediation who use traditional ink language to integrate the visual aesthetic of western modern painting with the traditional one and re-interpret the relationship between painting and nature through viewing. The fourth part specifies the painters of the Republic of China who adhered to the spirit of western painting. On account of the familiar with the visual aesthetic of western painting and are influenced by western visual aesthetic from the perspectives of both viewing angle and method, their painting works allowed the viewing subjects to join the social life and reflected strong characteristics of the times and sense of social responsibility. Therefore, in the context of China and the West collision, the basic characteristics of visual aesthetic in the transition of painting of the early Republic of China are reflected in the following specific aspects: one is transition of viewing subjects who might be creators, disseminators and acceptors; another is transition of viewing method, which means it transform direct vision to the scientific "perspective" and psychological cognition of visual perception. From the perspective of painting itself, this part analyzes the theme, representation and basic characteristics of painting of the early Republic of China and the specific mode of transformation of visual aesthetic of painting.Chapter Five analyzes the spiritual orientation of visual aesthetic during the painting change process, which is mainly reflected in the spiritual burgeoning of nationalism and realism, fusion of western subject spirit with Chinese snapshot spirit and the localization of the spirit of western modern painting. The spiritual gist of visual aesthetic was precisely formed in the then special social environment, for people endeavoring to seek a kind of spiritual resonance between the painters and the esthetic mass. On the one hand, the painters and the esthetic mass developed an interactive relationship, which, however, was restricted by the society and age; on the other hand, the viewing pattern of painters was to start by raising the subject consciousness of the esthetic mass, which to some extent helped from closer ties between the painters and the esthetic mass.Chapter Six discusses the subsequent influence and inspiration of visual aesthetic of painting of the early Republic of China. The visual aesthetic of painting of the early Republic of China necessarily affects modern and contemporary Chinese painting, which is mainly reflected in the following two historical aspects: first, the effect of introduction of visual aesthetic sense of realistic painting of the early Republic of China on the painting in the later period of the Republic of China; second, the effect of visual aesthetic sense featuring China and the West integration in the early Republic of China on the painting following the foundation of China. This chapter analyzes the different inspiration of visual aesthetic sense of painting of the early Republic of China to contemporary painting by taking ink painting and oil painting as examples.The conclusion summarizes what positive effect and influence visual aesthetic of painting in the early Republic of China maintained during modern transition, and its value and influence on the development of modern and contemporary Chinese painting. Generally speaking, this thesis attempts to make researches from the perspective of visual aesthetic in the Chinese and western field of vision by integrating Chinese and western aesthetic theories and Chinese and western fine art history theories, aim to give an panoramic overview to the fact of dynamic development, and conducts independent analysis and judgment on visual aesthetic transformation on historical changes of painting based on the social and cultural background during the period of the early Republic of China. With the emerging of "omni-media era" and thrive of the image art, visual aesthetic of painting becomes the center of attention in recent years. Hitherto, both the new tradition of modern painting which formed from the early Republic of China and the innovative development of contemporary painting art possess inherent relationship of the same strain. Those related issues remain to be further study.