IMPRESSIONAL TRENDS IN CHINESE OIL PAINTING OF THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20 th CENTURY

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to reveal the impressionistic  trends  in  the  fine  arts  of China,  determining  the  originality  of  the Chinese  oil  painting  development  of  the 20th century. Methodology.  Historical  and  cultural, comparative,  iconographic  and iconological  methods  are  used  in  the study. Results.  The  study  examines  the underinvestigated  aspects  of  Chinese painting  development  in  the  first  half  of
the  20th  century.  The  retrospective analysis of the pictural art enables tracing the  traditions  and  innovations  in  the formation  of  oil  painting  in  China,  which prevails  at  this  historical  stage  of  the national  art  school  development.  The desire  of  Chinese  artists  to  preserve  the
philosophical  foundation  and  theoretical principles  of  classical  ink  painting,  and  at the  same  time  an  interest  in Impressionism,  have  become  a  peculiar feature  of  Chinese  oil  painting.  The  main trends, dominating at the beginning of the century,  persist  to  this  day, defining  the development  of  Chinese  oil  painting  in general.  It  is  determined  that  the decorativeness  and  thematic  repertoire  of classical  Chinese  ink  art  has  been transferred to oil painting, as evidenced by
the  booming  exhibition  activities.  The study  determined  that  in  the  first  half  of the 20th century, the impressionistic trend was spread in the country, which resulted from  the  study  of  Japanese  and  French
masters by Chinese masters. The teaching methods  and  stylistic  searches  of  Chinese artists  of  the  period  under  study  became
the  foundation  of  contemporary  Chinese art.  The  latest  trends  in  Chinese  oil painting in the first half of the 20th century are: an artistic rethinking, reminiscences of a  similar  phenomenon  in  Western
European  painting  of  the  late  XIX  –  early XX  century.  The  spread  of  impressionism contributed  to  the  greatest  development
of still life and landscape genres, and also brought  plein  air  practice  to  a  new  level. Many  Chinese  artists  spread impressionistic  ideas  not  only  in  artistic creation,  but  also  in  art  history. The  scientific  novelty  lies  in  the systematization  and  factual  material analysis  on  this  problem,  determining  the role  of  the  impressionist  trend  in  the
Chinese oil painting development. Practical  significance.  The  results  of  the study can be used in further studies of the history  and  theory  of  Oriental  art  of  the 20th century.