Realism and Its Discontents: A Critical Reflection on ‘Realistic Western Techniques’ in Qing Chinese Painting
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From the late sixteenth century onward, Chinese painting began to absorb elements from European techniques, such as linear perspective and shading, introduced by the Jesuit mission. In existing scholarship, European painting techniques and Chinese paintings that incorporate these techniques are often labeled as ‘realistic.’ However, the term ‘realistic’ is often used without a clear definition, leading to some confusion. Scholars use ‘realistic’ interchangeably with terms such as ‘accurate,’ ‘alive,’ ‘convincing,’ ‘illusionistic,’ ‘naturalistic,’ ‘physical,’ ‘tactile,’ or ‘tangible,’ which reflects underlying assumptions about pictorial realism that are not clearly articulated or commonly agreed upon. This article examines what art historians mean when they describe European pictorial techniques or Chinese paintings incorporating such techniques as ‘realistic.’ The article then offers what it believes to be key concepts and reliable criteria for discussing realism in pictorial art. Lastly, the article examines the validity and limitations of assessing eighteenth-century Chinese paintings by the criteria of pictorial realism formed on the basis of Western-derived pictorial elements. Through these analyses, the article aims to contribute to clarifying current art historical discourses on pictorial realism and refining existing scholarly narratives on early modern global visual encounters.
Abstract
From the late sixteenth century onward, Chinese painting began to absorb elements from European techniques, such as linear perspective and shading, introduced by the Jesuit mission. In existing scholarship, European painting techniques and Chinese paintings that incorporate these techniques are often labeled as ‘realistic.’ However, the term ‘realistic’ is often used without a clear definition, leading to some confusion. Scholars use ‘realistic’ interchangeably with terms such as ‘accurate,’ ‘alive,’ ‘convincing,’ ‘illusionistic,’ ‘naturalistic,’ ‘physical,’ ‘tactile,’ or ‘tangible,’ which reflects underlying assumptions about pictorial realism that are not clearly articulated or commonly agreed upon. This article examines what art historians mean when they describe European pictorial techniques or Chinese paintings incorporating such techniques as ‘realistic.’ The article then offers what it believes to be key concepts and reliable criteria for discussing realism in pictorial art. Lastly, the article examines the validity and limitations of assessing eighteenth-century Chinese paintings by the criteria of pictorial realism formed on the basis of Western-derived pictorial elements. Through these analyses, the article aims to contribute to clarifying current art historical discourses on pictorial realism and refining existing scholarly narratives on early modern global visual encounters.
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