Song Dynasty

Decorative Arts of Asia

The Song dynasty which lasted from 960–1279 was culturally and artistically the most brilliant era in later imperial Chinese history. This dynasty was broken into two different eras and regions. The southern and Northern. It was a time of great social and economic change. It was during this period that large measures began to shape the intellectual and radical climate of China.

Quatrain on Springs Radiance This is a fan mounted as an album leaf. During the Southern Sung artist who wanted to express their emotions from art work could do so by adding poems to them. This Quatrain is a poem by Empress Yang. It states: “My makeup worn and faded, only the scent lingers; Still I shall enjoy spring's beauty before my eyes. Once you said to me, "How a year blooms quickly and as quickly dies! May we now forsake worldly splendors for the land of wine?"

This piece of artwork illustrates the surrealistic style of flower and bird paintings. In such works, the artist demonstrated his intimate knowledge of the appearances and growth of the plants and solidified accurately the movements of birds as they danced about the artwork.

This is one of the largest surviving examples of the jiehua genre of architectural transcriptions. This offers an close view of the women’s quarters of a palace where stylish rooms face onto private courtyards decorated with trees and blossoming lotus, an sign of the summer season. This piece of aft was also a silk painting with Ink.

This piece of artwork was created with wet ink dots called “ Mi-family dots”. This piece displays the mountains and its eternal life.

This Northern Sung Dynasty piece was completed by Mi Fu. This is considered the longest and most dramatic large scale calligraphy. This art was considered a Hand scroll with Ink on paper.

"Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History." Northern Song Dynasty (960–1127). N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2013. <http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/nsong/hd_nsong.htm>.

"Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History." Painting in Ink on Silk from China. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2013. <http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hi/hi_painseac.htm>.

"History." - China Culture. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2013. <http://history.cultural-china.com/>.

"Quatrain on Spring's Radiance." - China Culture. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2013. <http://arts.cultural-china.com/en/63Arts4339.html>.

Song dynasty (Chinese History). “Encyclopida Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2013. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/573875/Song-dynasty. "The Song Dynasty in China | Asia Topics in World History." The Song Dynasty in China | Asia Topics in World History. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2013. <http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/song/>.