Research On The Comparison Of The Decorative Arts Between Pang Xunqin And William Morris

The word “decoration” appeared as early as the 5th-6th century in China, referring to ornament and make-up. Until the 17th-18 th century, the term of “decorative art” emerged in the Western countries. It refers to the technology depending on painting or sculpture with the role of beautifying the subjec t to be decorated according to its requirements. “Decoration” has a broad capacity, and even many ancient forms of art can be called “decorative art”. However, although decorative art is closely related to people’s life, its extensive existence seems to be not decent enough, so study in decoration has not drawn great attention. This has directly resulted in that it is hard for us to establish the theories concerning the concept of decoration, let alone discussions on aesth etic perception of decoration.Pang Xunqin and William Morris represent different decoration concepts of the East and the West respectively. Pang Xunqin was one of the Chinese starting to explore traditional decorative arts in the early years, who sublimated Chinese decorative arts to a kind of existence of “principle”, while William Morris improved the style of decoration, who gradually brought the role of a craftsman into the troop of artists and set off industrial upsurge with “decoration” as the subject. Both Pang Xunqin and William Morr is are the rare ones who have elaborate theoretical works and achievements in decoration practices in the history of decorative arts. By comparing these two persons, this paper is aimed at finding an entry point for the integration of and communication bet ween the Eastern and the Western decoration culture so as to make a theoretical discussion on the future development of decoration arts.The main research method and thinking in this paper to compare the similarities and differences between Pang Xunqin and William Morris in the theories and practices of decorative arts. Parallel study method is adopted for the overall research. In other words, this paper conducts in-depth research by taking the art theories and practices of Pang Xunqin and William Morris as the macro basis, and then extends to comparing the relationships between the Eastern and the Western decorative arts as well as the issues they were concerned about and have solved. Partly, influence study method is adopted, that is, the paper studies not only relationship between Pang Xunqin and William Morris and other thinkers in the same eras when they lived but also the influence of them on later mentoring relationship. The main ideas are gained from horizontal, vertical and crossed clues to interpret the significance of final conclusions. Although study on Pang Xunqin and William Morris’ s decorative art cases basically tend to be mature, there is enough room to compare in depth these two decorative art masters of two different eras and countries, fully discuss individual traits, social causes and the viewpoints of natural universe contained in Chinese and Western decorative arts, and explore the future direction of decorative arts and the spiritual significance of decorative arts.