MILITARY THEMES IN THE NEW CHINESE NIANHUA OF THE LATE XIX - EARLY XX CENTURY
Abstract
The aim. The article is devoted into the study of military themes in the new Chinese Nianhua between late nineteenth and early twentieth century, when Chinese folk painting became one of the most popular types of fine arts. Military themes were often noticeed in modern paintings, others like political events, which were so rich in modern Chinese history. Artists began to portray modern warfare with old, proven methods, representing every battle scene as theatrical, and were so successful in depicting battles as stage mise-en-scène that they did not need dramatic material to present the recent battle as a theatrical act. It was found that during this period, the traditional genre and artistic system of nianhua undergoes radical changes since the late 30's of the twentieth century.
Results. And in the early years of the People's Republic of China, Communist ideologues hoped that professional artists, involving masters of traditional crafts, the Nianhua, who borrowed much from old paintings, would attract large numbers of peasants and workers with the novelty of communist ideology.Since the XII century,in China, there was a custom on New Year's Eve.That is to decorate living spaces with colorful printed paintings, which in the XIX century was named «nianhua», it means New Year's picture. Nianhua were associated with the cult and ritual component of the holiday, they depicted the saints of the Buddhist, Taoist and folk pantheon. A significant part of Nianhua were friendly plots that contain symbolic signs of wishes for family happiness, wealth, successful trade, or a good harvest. It was found that a separate group consists of entertaining plots, which acquaint with literature and theatrical performances. Woodcut techniques were used in the workshops to make the new year’s pictures.
Novelty. Nianhua workshops located throughout China have saturated the market with printed materials throughout the year. In the second half of the XIX century, the artistic work of Nianhua became widespread and formed into an independent form of fine art, which was designed to satisfy the aesthetic tastes of the general population.In the middle of the twentieth century. the new socio-political situation in society, the pragmatic view of the Chinese leadership on nature and the tasks of art, on the one hand, contribute to the widespread dissemination of the folk picture, and on the other – ensure its functioning within a dogmatic culture. The utilitarian approach to art led to the genre limitations of nannies. Of all the variety of traditional genres, realistic genres come to the fore, designed to reflect reality in its revolutionary development. The leading role in the art of nannies is played by socio-political, everyday themes, the portrait genre, which extremely vividly and fully illustrate the socio-political processes in society. Given this, it is important to present the main stages of formation of this unique phenomenon of artistic culture of China in the first half of XX century.
