In defence of subjectivity and autonomy : Shitao’s aesthetic theory and his critique of the mainstream school of painting in the Early Qing Dynasty

Sernelj, Tea (author)

The article explores the aesthetic theory of Shitao, an early Qing dynasty painter who belonged to the Individualist school of painting which advocated painting from subjective experience of life and learning from the Dao, thus following the aesthetic tradition of literati landscape painters. Shitao composed his own theory of painting and aesthetics in the work The Remarks on Painting (Huayulu 畫語錄), which was the result of his artistic practice and philosophical reflections collected throughout his life. The article delves into Shitao’s critique of the Traditionalist school of painting which prevailed in his time as the mainstream painting style, advocating imitation and repetition of the old masters. For Shitao and other Individualist painters, such an approach and attitude towards art led to creative stagnation and a departure from the aesthetic ideals of classical landscape paint-ing. With their artistic and theoretical intervention, however, they managed to preserve, upgrade and bring to life new perspectives in artistic production and aesthetic theories. This paper presents Shitao’s defence of subjectivity as a vital catalyst for the rejuvenation of artistic perspectives and the restoration of Chinese art, thus providing an invaluable contribution to the discourse on artistic creativity and subjectivity.

• Language: English
• Keywords: aesthetics, Shitao, Holistic brushstroke, subjectivity, Traditionalist school of painting, Individualist school of painting
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2024
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: Str. 145-169
• Numbering: Vol. 12 (28), iss. 2
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-156112
• UDC: 1(510)
• ISSN on article: 2232-5131
• DOI: 10.4312/as.2024.12.2.145-169
• COBISS.SI-ID: 194797827
• Publication date in RUL: 08.05.2024

SERNELJ, Tea, 2024, In defence of subjectivity and autonomy : Shitao’s aesthetic theory and his critique of the mainstream school of painting in the Early Qing Dynasty. Asian studies [online]. 2024. Vol. 12 (28), no. 2, p. 145–169. [Accessed 1 April 2025]. DOI 10.4312/as.2024.12.2.145-169. Retrieved from: https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?lang=eng&id=156112

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Asian studies
• Publisher: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete, Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete, Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 2232-5131
• COBISS.SI-ID: 265206272

Licences

• License: CC BY-SA 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
• Description: This Creative Commons license is very similar to the regular Attribution license, but requires the release of all derivative works under this same license.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: V bran subjektivnosti in avtonomiji : Shitaova estetska teorija in njegova kritika prevladujoče struje slikarstva v zgodnji dinastiji Qing
• Keywords: estetika, Shitao, Holistična poteza čopiča, subjektivnost, tradicionalna struja slikarstva, individualistična struja slikarstva

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: J6-50202-2023
• Name: Konfucijanski preporod in njegov vpliv na sodobne vzhodnoazijske družbe skozi prizmo odnosa med individuumom in družbo

• Funder: Other - Other funder or multiple funders
• Project number: RG001-N-23
• Name: The problem of freedom, humanismand the human subject in intercultural perspective: Europe and Taiwan