Metallic Pigment’s Application And Decorative In Chinese Meticulous Figure Painting

The history of Chinese meticulous figure painting(painting with exact delineation and enriched colors) can be traced back to more than two thousand years ago. However, since Song Dynasty, Ink and Wash Paintings have gradually occupied the field of Chinese painting. Even though the art of meticulous figure painting is not lost, it declines with time. Naturally, such situation weakens the function of color in Chinese painting, and even rejects its application; furthermore, Chinese Confucianists hold the philosophy that a gentleman should not emphasize implements, which makes painters emphasize the theory and ignore the production. Such situation is obvious in the literal paintings in Ming and Qing Dynasty, in which painters stress ideas and emotions, but neglect the use of painting materials and techniques; considering all the art study in the history, it can be found that most of them concerns about the theory rather than the painting materials and the techniques. There are only few books like Zhang Dai’s The Famous Paintings of History in Tang Dynasty which records the study of implements. In fact, in the long history of Chinese Painting,meticulous figure painting is an important genre. Its strong expression,which enables color to become an essential method of presentation, is widely appreciated by the public. Mineral and metallic pigments are two main kinds of pigments that are used in meticulous figure painting. It can be seen in the places like graves, temples (decoration of the frescos or the figures of Buddha), industrial arts, folk fine arts, traditional architecture and so on. These two kinds of pigments, especially the metallic pigment whose color is strong, bright, stable and unchangeable, creates visual effect that is very different from Ink and Wash Paintings.Metallic pigment is a special painting language in meticulous figure painting. It is highly decorative and metaphorical, strengthensthe splendid decoration and heavy sense and brings audience both visual and spiritual enjoyment. Regrettably, in modern times, even though the technology of mineral and metallic materials are highly advanced, few people intend to inherit it, to research on it and to develop it, which causes the lost of traditional culture and color symbols. However, metallic pigment is widely used in Japanese paintings. Japanese do not only inherit Chinese traditional pigment culture, but also develop and innovate it. This situation should call for Chinese researchers’ reference and reflection.