Rare Surviving Artworks Showcased in “The Brilliance of Song Dynasty in Modern Times” Art Exhibition at China Academy of Art

On March 18, 2023, the art exhibition themed “The Brilliance of Song Dynasty in Modern Times” kicked off at the Art Museum of China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China. The key exhibition, titled “Embrace the Landscape: Selected Painting and Calligraphy about Southern China Since the Song Dynasty” showcased 37 pieces (sets) of calligraphy and painting works from the Song (960-1279), Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368–1644), and Qing (1636-1912) dynasties, including 13 Grade 1 cultural objects, fully presenting the millennium-long artistic inheritance of Song-style calligraphy and painting in the Jiangnan region, from the Song Dynasty to modern times.

Apart from the said part, “The Brilliance of Song Dynasty in Modern Times” Art Exhibition comprises segments titled “The Study of Song Dynasty Paintings by Huang Binhong (1865-1955) and its Heritage”, “The Inheritance and Variation of Pan Tianshou’s Art”, “Harmonizing the East and the West in CAA Oil Paintings”, and “Emulating the Tradition of Painting and Calligraphy of the Song Dynasties”.

The exhibition brings together the works of the four top artists of the Southern Song Dynasty, known as the “Four Great Masters”: Li Tang (1066-1150), Liu Songnian (1131-1218), Ma Yuan (1140-1225), and Xia Gui (≈1180-1230). They are considered to represent the highest level of Song painting and have exerted a global influence.

Why is Song-style painting so appreciated? The “Song style” is not only primarily exemplified by the awakening of humanistic consciousness, which is manifested in the incorporation of ordinary themes into the artists’ creative works, but also signified by innovative painting techniques. In addition, “Song style” is represented by a perfect combination of freehand brushwork and realistic depiction. During the Song Dynasty, realism painting reached its peak, paving the way for the tradition of freehand literati painting in later generations.

On top of all this, “The Brilliance of Song Dynasty in Modern Times” Art Exhibition serves the function of a public aesthetic education lesson. During the exhibition, a series of aesthetic workshops will be launched. Among them are various academic forums, “Art Classes Around Us” , and the “Well-Known Painting Appreciation” series-a multi-media sharing platform, providing the general public with the opportunity to discover the true beauty of mountains and rivers in authentic paintings.

The exhibition lasts until April 16, 2023.

Source:China Academy of Art