Collection of Ancient Chinese Cultural Relics, Volume 10

Book excerpt: The second volume dealing with ancient Chines cultural relics in the Qing Dynasty, 1644 to 1911. There are 375 relics. A continuation of Volume 9, dealing with the Qing Dynasty and describes paintings, calligraphy, embroidery and brocade, gold and silver ware and metal enamel ware and clocks. Paintings in this period can be divided into the early, middle and late stages. Early stage: Four Wangs painting school: Wang Shimin, Wang Jian, Wang Hui and Wang Yuanqi. Midle stage: representative artists include: Jiao Bingzhenb, Leng Mei, Tang Dai during Kangxi's reign,and Ding Guanpeng, Jin Tingbiao, Xu Yang, Zhang Zongcang, Jian Tingxi and Zou Yigui in Qianlong's reign. Late stage paintings of literati gradually declined. When the newly developed business cities such as Shanghai and Guangzhou, opened as trading ports, changes were made in themes and styles. New schools formed: 'Secoast School' in Shanghai and 'Ling,an School' in Guangzhou. The former group artists included: Xu Gu, Zhao Zhiqian, Wu Changshuo, while the other school included: Su Liupeng, Su Ren Sahn, Ju Chao and Ju Lian. This book, the tenth in a ten-volume collection, brings to the English-speaking world a series of books from China which has been complied by an Expert Committee of the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics. There are 375 descriptions.