Research On Su Shi's Critical Theories On Paintings

As one of the most important and remarkable theorists and critics on paintings in the North Song Dynasty,Su Shi's critical theories on paintings has a very important position in the history of ancient Chinese paintings theory,and thus has significant research value.This research on Su Shi's theories includes the following aspects.First of all,this research includes collation and analysis of the literary form used by Su Shi in his paintings critics literature.Sorting out Su Shi's paintings critics documents is the foundation to study his paintings critics theories.Su Shi reviewed dozens painters' work dated back from Wei-Jin period to his time,wrote more than 100 paintings critics literature.His commentary includes almost all the painting sections,involving figure painting,landscape painting,flower and bird painting and religious paintings.Among these commentaries,there are 26 figure painting criticism literature,27 landscape painting criticism literature,75 flower-and-bird painting criticism literature and 31 religious painting criticism literature.Su Shi used a varieties of styles in his commentaries,including painting poems,painting eulogies,narratives and prefaces.In his criticism literature,Su Shi made a number of theoretical perspectives.Second,this research analyzes Su Shi's critical standards on paintings.All criticism has certain criticism standards.Only according to certain criteria can criticism be carried out.First of all,Su Shi proposed a series of important standards of critical theories such as “the vivid”,“the genuine shape” and “the wonder beyond the paintings”.“The vivid” is not only Su Shi's panting principle and aesthetic ideal,but also an important criterion for his painting criticism.This criterion embodies his concerns as“knowing the meaning”,“using a little ink expresses a clear expression”,and “the vivid hidden in the shape”.Secondly,he advocated “the genuine shape”,which includes “the real indulgence and pleasure originally stems from subtle consideration”,“having similarities with the real world is valuable for paintings”,and “the external features isendowed by environment”.Thirdly,he put forward “the wonder beyond the painting”,which includes “paintings not only deliver boldness,but also convey subtle truths and rules”,and “something beyond the appearance”.Third,this research explores Su Shi's critical methods on paintings.The four major methods used by Su Shi are the critical method based on the paintings,comparative critical method,imagery critical method and allusion critical method.The critical method based on the paintings is based on a critical method of painting itself.Comparative method reflects different painters' painting features by comparing their techniques,styles and achievements.Imagery critical method refers to the specific imagery to express abstract ideas,to reveal the nature of art and the author's style.Allusion method mainly uses the way of citing historical facts and quotes to express critics' views and attitudes to paintings.The use of these critical methods not only adding richer aesthetic taste in Su Shi's explanations on his painting thoughts and views,but also immersing his critical theory with thick art and lyrical atmosphere.