Quincy Ngan
Ph.D. candidate, University of Chicago
Friday, September 30, 4-6 pm
CWAC 156
Painting the Land in Azurite Blue and Malachite Green: From Mind’s Craft to Vulgarity
Abstract:
In this presentation, I will argue that the blatant luxuriousness of the above two pigments structures the usage and perception of both heavily-pigmented and ink-monochrome landscape paintings, forming a complex politics among art buyers, art critics, and artists from mid-16th to mid-17th century China. Among these peoples, no one can manage to finesse a position that is free from disadvantages – while art critics and literati would lambaste painters and buyers of landscape painting in azurite and malachite if they could, their societal images are relentlessly jeopardized and coveted by the latter.
This narrative has its significance in challenging the hitherto understanding of azurite and malachite as materials which denote solely immortality – it is instead the luxurious quality of the two minerals that comes into play in visual communications.
