History of Chinese Art is fascinating because it provides an interesting insight into the Chinese character. The various kinds of visual art s in China have developed under the direct patronage of different imperial dynasties . The modern democratic communist China has the following categories of visual arts to express itself:
- Calligraphy
- Painting
- Sculpture
- Pottery
- Architecture
- Bronze casting
- Jewelery
- Photography
- Cinema
The last two art forms have been recent developments but the other forms have survived since time immemorial in the history of Chinese art under imperial patronage. The main patrons of each art form are listed below:
- Calligraphy – Xia Dynasty and Jin Dynasty
- Painting – all dynasties
- Sculpture – Qin Dynasty
- Pottery – Han Dynasty
- Architecture - Qin Dynasty
- Bronze casting – Xia Dynasty and Song Dynasty
- Jewelery - all dynasties
History of Chinese art has thus a prominent part to play in the Chinese history as the indicator of the quality of life of the Chinese people. Whenever the Chinese have felt need of expressing themselves they have resorted to the artistic forms available to them and added a significant chapter in the history of Chinese art.
Certain art forms like calligraphy have required specialized training and careful practice, a leisure that could only be afforded by the select few in the nobility; while others like sculpture, pottery, architecture, jewelry, have been a professional domain. But professional or amateur the Chinese practitioners of all art forms, in the history of Chinese Art, have always maintained a very high standard of work and ethics. This causes their work to glow with that personal warmth so identifiable in true artists.
