Chinese Paintings of the Ming and Qing Dynasties

The Rt. Hon. Malcom Fraser C.H., M.P.
Prime Minister of Australia.

I am delighted that Australia is host to this magnificent collection of Chinese paintings of the Ming and Qing Dynasties 2. The exhibition is a significant contribution to the cultural exchange programme between Australia and China which I welcome.

The paintings express the continuous pleasure and delight which Chinese painters have drawn throughout history from the landscape and nature; these responses will be shared by all Australians who view this exhibition.

This is the first major international cultural exchange managed by the International Cultural Corporation of Australia Limited. The exhibition of Chinese paintings of the Ming and Qing Dynasties continues the tradition of cultural exchange between Australia and the People’s Republic of China which commenced with the Chinese Archaeological Exhibition of 1977, seen by millions all over Australia. It marks an exciting period in Australia’s major touring exhibition programme, the effects of which are far reaching and will immensely enrich our experience in Australia of works of art never before seen outside China.

Huang Zhen
Minister of Culture
People’s Republic of China.

The exhibition in Australia of Chinese classical paintings is a happy event in the cultural exchange between the peoples of our two countries. The project deserves our congratulations and is a festival of friendship. I sincerely wish the exhibition every success.

The origins of Chinese painting are founded in antiquity. It is a tradition with a long history and its own outstanding characteristics, with works of immortal stature and a vivid national style. Peaks of achievement and high points of art have constantly appeared in the course of its development.

In Chinese painting of the Ming and Qing Dynasties many artists created their own individual styles and formed numerous schools, basing themselves on the traditions of earlier painters. Many of the works in this exhibition are representative ones by outstanding masters of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Their breadth of themes and richness of content form a marvellous tapestry. Among the aspects of the world of nature depicted are landscapes, animals, flowers, birds, insects and fish, famous mountains and great rivers, mists and groves of bamboo, magnificent palaces and cottage scenes. All of these are included in the paintings. The many facets of social activity are also portrayed in detail — from the fisherman casting his net, the herdboy tending his cattle and the peasant ploughing, to genteel maidens in quiet elegance and literati and scholars drinking and writing poems. The styles of the artists include realistic paintings, characterised by fine brushwork and close attention to detail where each stroke, executed with precision, carries weight; there are also freehand paintings with few strokes of the brush and scattered ink dots. No matter which brush technique is employed, each work expresses the deep love of the artists for nature and for life, so that even with a few brush strokes outstanding artists have been able to impress their inner feelings and individual personalities upon their work.

This exhibition brings together gems of the collections from the museums of twelve provinces and cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Nanjing, Liaoning, Shandong, Guangdong, Zhejiang and Jiangxi, totalling one hundred paintings by over eighty artists. The selection illustrates the general development of painting through the Ming and Qing Dynasties, (mid-14th century to early 20th century), which is one aspect of the rich artistic culture of ancient China. This is the first exhibition of classical paintings to be held abroad since the establishment of the People’s Republic. We are honoured to present this Exhibition for the appreciation of the Australian public in the hope of contributing to the friendship and understanding between the peoples of China and Australia.

Sourced from: Malcolm Fraser & Huang Zhen, ‘Foreword’, in Edmund Capon & Mae Anna Pang, Chinese Paintings of the Ming and Qing Dynasties 14th–20th Century, International Cultural Corporation of Australia, 1981, p. 4.