Asian Canvas Art has a long history of tradition, and Chinese Painting is probably one of the oldest. Before 200BC Asian Art was not representational, consisting mainly of patterns and ornamental 'imagery'. Traditional Chinese Painting is referred to, in a modern world, as 'guo hua'. Roughly translated, that means 'native painting'. The style is markedly different to the Western influenced Chinese Painting, which has become popular since the beginning of the twentieth century.

 

 In ancient times, Chinese Paintings were highly reflective of Calligraphy, using a similar technique, with brush and ink on paper or silk, never oil paint. However, like the wonderful frescos produced throughout the Italian Renaissance, traditional Asian Art would also be painted directly onto walls. From around 200BC, until the end of the Tang dynasty, Asian Canvas Art did become more figurative. However, many Art Historians consider the landscapes created from 907BC to 1127BC, to be the most accomplished form of Chinese Painting. Consequently, this period has been marked down in the history books as 'The Great Age of Chinese Landscape'. Today, we continue to recognize the two main styles produced during this time, and consider them to be 'classic' examples of traditional Chinese Painting. Indeed, the style is reflected in much of the contemporary Asian Canvas Art currently available.

 

 Northern landscapes use strong black lines to depict the towering mountains and rough stone indigenous to the region. On the other hand, much softer brushwork was used to immortalize the rolling countryside and rivers of the South. Both these styles reflect the incredible sensitivity to line which Chinese Painting achieves. This is something which also remains highly characteristic to the Asian Art produced today. From the thirteenth century simple objects were incorporated into the traditional style of Chinese Painting. Compositions became more complex, more detailed. Flowers, the single branch of a blossom tree, or fruit might be incorporated and bolder colors were introduced. Around the end of the seventeenth century books began to be published, with regards to the techniques used for traditional Chinese Painting. A notable set of Chinese Painting, 'technical' volumes, were published around this time. They are the 'Jieziyuan Huazhuan', and many contemporary Artists continue to use them as reference today. The famous 'Wu' and 'Zhe' schools of art aided the revival of traditional Chinese Painting, yet brought about major transformations with regards to stylization. Toward the end of the seventeenth century, the so called 'Individualist' painters led a rebellion against more traditional Chinese Painting techniques, and the schools, demanding more freedom of expression for artists themselves. Yangzhou and Shanghai had become the major art centres of China during the seventeen and eighteen hundreds. Artists were free to be more expressive and a wonderfully new bold style of Chinese Painting evolved.