Chinese Pictorial Art : The Admonition Scroll

Admonitions of the Court Instructress to the Palace Ladies

Who made it and when?

Gu Kaizhi from the 5th-8th century

What inspires it? (3)

Zang Hua’s 3rd century poem on female morality and conduct, preservation of sexual properties

Societal fears of women manipulating the court

Confucian morals

What was an Admonition? (2)

Guidance for proper behaviour aimed at women of the court, controlling powerful women

Confucian philosophy believed that everyone had a role to play within society in order to create Civilisation, women were expected to be subordinate, virtuous and obedient.

What was expected of court women?

Submission, selflessness, obedience, bravery

Typical Traits of Han Pictorial Style? (4)

-static forms

-figure size determined by status

-nobody is uniquely represented

-discontinuous narrative

What is the scholars name?

Yang Xin et al

What does the scholar say about the development in Han Pictorial Style?

-Kaizhi shows innovation with individualised figures and realism

-Three dimensional form indicated with various ink washes

-Expressions create personas and more thoughtful representations

What does Yang Xi et al say about the scroll narrative

-Narrative power of the scroll ending with the Court Instructress. She is writing the admonitions that one has just unraveled and must begin with her to roll them back up.

What else can be said of the scroll format?

-They were artistic pieces, meant to be enjoyed by elites

-The unfurling of the image is meditative but also a pleasurable act, an unveiling

-It is interactive

Political Context? (4)

-Han Dynasty ended after long power struggle and dissolved into different kingdoms with competing generals in power

-It was very unstable

-There was paranoia of Empresses murdering Emperors in order to take power as dower.

-Empresses intentionally selecting the youngest Heir in order to extend her period of assumed control.