Study On Evolution Of The Hierarchy Of Genres In Western Paintings

At first,painting was not included in the Seven Liberal Arts,dismissed as the mere physical work of craftsman.In order to prove the rationality of painting as a noble art,scholars and sponsors need to explain painting and ancient literature are sisterhood since ancient times.From this process gradually formed the requirements for painting,especially in the choice of subject matter-true painters only depict noble gods and heroes,or the actions of great men are regarded as the noblest content,and this genre called history painting.With history painting become supreme,the system of hierarchy is established.Later,under the impact of different painting genre,the rise of landscape painting particularly,it marked the collapse of the the hierarchy of genres which had influenced European art for nearly two hundred years.This paper analyzes evolution of the hierarchy of genres in Western paintings in four chapters.Chapter one:briefly discusses the influence of humanism painting theory,taking Alberti's "On painting" and Horace's "Ut Pictura Poesis"as particular example,elaborate on the impact of their views on the formation of the hierarchy of genres,their argument as a seed waiting for the a good deal of suitable soil.Chapter two:the establishment of the hierarchy in Western paintings,discusses the representatives of French and British Royal Academy and their thoughts,especially France;then further discusses the government skillfully use the hierarchy to establish the authority and set the threshold for the success of art:The Prix de Rome and the Academy in Rome;Greuze successfully reformed genre painting,reflects the official authority and mainstream thought.There ideas which were planted in the past and have now grown like towering trees.The turn of most important event of the Third chapter is Greuze event in the salon of 1765,from which we can see the nobility of hierarchy of genres against and the invisible wave of inevitable reform.But in any case,The apex of history painting and the stability stable in the midst of turbulence.The last chapter:From Internal and external reasons discusses the fade of the hierarchy.The internal cause is the appearance and flourishing of historical paintings and Impressionist landscape painting sprang up there.External cause refers to the change of exhibition system and aesthetic taste,which reflects the new trend of art development in modern life.