Test The Decline Of The Western Elite Art In Comparison Reason

So-called 'elite arts' in this article mainly depends on the definition made by Clement Greenberg, which just means the arts sponsored by royals and nobles. The circle of the arts' communication is limited, which is different to the popular arts.Because of the different processes of different society, the declination reasons of 'elite arts' between Chinese and West are intrinsically different. In the factor of politics, the main property of Chinese feudalism in history is the condition of 'great unification'. However, in West, the feudal society had been in the separate condition for a long time. In the factor of thought, Chinese thought 'li xue derived from the feudalism strengthened stability of the feudal society. But in West, the Enlightenment pushed the social system revolution. In the factor of economy, Chinese city was just a section of feudal rule, and its economic progress could not evoke any change in social system. However, the economic supply still encouraged arts out of the royal court to become fertilizing. In West, city was a fort for citizen against feudalism. In the factor of arts self, it's the common predicament to both Chinese and West that the feudal system constrained arts. In Chinese, constraint was heavier, which became the intrinsic reason to the declination.In a word, the declinational process of Chinese 'elite arts' occurring in feudal society, showed passivism and incompleteness. That of West 'elite arts' occurring in the process of capitalism taking the place of feudalism, showed positivity and completeness. This article tries to discuss these reasons from politics, philosophy and thought, economy and arts self, and to convince that reform to Chinese painting academy system nowadays is necessary.