Henan Han Brick Art Research

Portrayal bricks refer to the bricks which were of portrait or decorative pattern and were used in tombs as the constructive materials. A few is used in temples and palaces.Portrayal brick tombs were prevalent in Han Dynasty. Therefore, the art of portrayal brick in Han dynasty is the most representative in history. Their content includes many respects, such as economy, culture, ethics, philosophy, military, social life and so on.Portrayal bricks are big hollow bricks in the early. The hollow bricks occurs no latter than the Western Zhou Dynasty. After the foundation of the People's Republic of China, more and more portrayal bricks were unearthed. In Henna province, portrayal bricks spread widely in Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Nanyang and other districts.Portrayal bricks of Han Dynasty in Henan province can be divided into three periods according to their art style. The first is the early and middle of Western Han Dynasty, the second is the later period of Western Han Dynasty and the early period of Eastern Han Dynasty and the third is the middle and later period of Eastern Han Dynasty.As a form of art, The art of portrayal bricks correlated to burying system, social politics condition and idea of that age.Influenced by Shanxi province's portrayal bricks, the portrayal bricks art of Han Dynasty in Henna province was the cream of Han Dynasty art and influenced other areas.