Middle And Late Ming, Bo Gu Theme Painting Performance And Causes

This thesis argues the paintings under the subject matter of "Bogu" which emerged in the Nanjing and Suzhou area in the Middle and Late Ming Dynasty. According to the documents, there are three meanings of the term "Bogu tu". One is the Catalogue of Antiques Compiled in Xuanhe Reign () of the Song Dynasty. Another is the figure paintings in the Middle and Late Ming Dynasty which described the literators appreciated the ancient playthings. The other is the Bogu tu of the Shanghai School in the end of Qing Dynasty. Thereinto, is the catalogue of Studies of Bronzes and Stones, portraying the shape, pattern design, inscription, size, weight of Bronzes. While the Bogu tu of the Shanghai School are still life constituted by the bronze vessels, flowers, vegetables and fruits. Although there are differences between those two forms, both of the principal parts are the Bronzes. Only the paintings under the subject matter of "Bogu" are figure paintings, however, emerging between those two above. So it is worthy to exploring the reasons of the differences among those three styles.After researching the activities and time of the painters, we could infer that, the subject matter of "Bogu" was popular in the Middle and Late Ming Dynasty. So, why it emerged and went popular at that time? It was a revival of the ancient painting, or the creation by the painters of Ming Dynasty? Here I insist that the subject matter of "Bogu" emerged in Jiangnan area in the Middle and Late Ming Dynasty. It reflects the appreciation preference and artistic taste of literators. The painting pattern of "Bogu" and the were historically related. Meanwhile the literators' life style, appreciation preference, printing status also affected the emergence, manifestation and the function of the images.