Chinese figure painting

　　To capture a subject's spirit is the key feature of Chinese figure painting, one of the three major categories of the Chinese art form.

　　Countless famous paintings have been passed down through the ages.

　　In the Nymph of the Luo River painted by Gu Kaizhi during the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420), the graceful river nymph descends on the gentle waves, ribbons from her robes blowing in the wind.

　　Her eyes are filled with attachment and affection for her lover.

　　The Tang and Song dynasties (618-1279) were the heyday of Chinese figure painting.

　　The Night Revels of Han Xizai by Gu Hongzhong depicts a night party hosted by the Southern Tang official Han Xizai in a long scroll.

　　To the beautiful music of a pipa and graceful dancing, guests entertain themselves while feasting and drinking.

　　The painting is done with precise and subtle brushstrokes, smooth and delicate lines, and bright and elegant colors. All figures appear lifelike.

　　In the Along the River during the Qingming Festival by Zhang Zeduan during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), more than 800 subjects are depicted. The running Bianhe River provides a picturesque background for the pedestrians who, with different expressions and postures, solidify the flourishing urban life in the capital Bianliang.

　　While Western figure painting focuses on creating true-life depictions of the subject, Chinese figure painting emphasizes the inner essence of the theme.

　　The expression of a character’s personality and disposition is embodied in the rendering of the environment, atmosphere, posture, and movement.

　　Scrolls of Chinese figure paintings silently recount the past and present across thousands of years of civilization.

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