Chinese painting

The Chinese painting underwent a long way of development. The earliest pieces on silk date back to the 481 BC. That period is marked by primitive everyday pictures that featured domestic scenes or military campaigns. The next period being closer to 220 BC – 220 AD is characteristic for higher personal expression. The Fine Arts (and painting in particular) becomes more and more complicated representing mythological deities and numerous spirits. It is noteworthy that there appears three-dimensional painting in China at that time. Painting describes not only everyday scenes, but high officials as well. By the time of Jin Dynasty (316 – 420 AD), painting acquires a new level and already treated as one of official arts. The young noblemen that were to receive education at that time were to master painting as well.
The fourth century witnesses the establishment of classical Chinese landscape under artist Gu Kaizhi. His painting 'Eighty Seven Celestial People' is considered to be one of the greatest Chinese paintings of all times and nations.
During the Chinese Song Dynasty, portrait painting was immensely improved and elaborated. Soon, it attained its classical age maturity.
The next period of Chinese history passed under a sign of Mongol-based Yuan Dynasty. For Chinese art, it was one of the worst moments with numerous prohibitions and limitations. A lot of educated Chinese turned to the art of painting instead of serving the Yuan government.
It was only under Ming dynasty that Classical Chinese painting reached its heights featuring, for example, the portraits of Kangxi Emperor, Yongzheng Emperor, and Qianlong Emperor.