Brushes with Power: Modern Politics and the Chinese Art of Calligraphy

Book Description

Chinese calligraphy has traditionally been an emblem of the ruling class and its authority. After a century of mass revolution, what is the fate of this elite art? Richard Kraus explores the relationship beween politics and the art of writing in China today to explicate the complex relationship between tradition and modernity in Chinese culture. His study draws upon a wide range of sources, from political documents, memoirs, and interviews with Chinese intellectuals to art exhibitions and television melodramas.
Mao Zedong and other Communist leaders gave calligraphy a revolutionary role, believing that their beloved art reflected the luster of authoritative words and deeds. Calligraphy was joined with new propagandistic mass media to become less a private art and more a public performance. It provided politically engaged citizens with subtle cues to changing power relationships in the People's Republic.
Claiming neither that the Communists obliterated traditional culture nor that revolution failed to relieve the burden of China's past, this study subtly examines the changing uses of tradition in a modernizing society.

Customer Reviews:

Love this book.......1999-12-14

This is a great book -- smart and funny. It's a very interesting analysis of how art and calligraphy are used to express leadership and exert power in Chinese culture. It may seem irrelevant to Westerners, but ask anyone from a calligraphic tradition about it, and they'll tell you how important it is. A great read with super pictures.

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Finally a book in English on this subject

The Art of Calligraphy in Modern China
Gordon S. Barrass
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Calligraphy | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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Mahjong: Contemporary Chinese Art From The Sigg Collection

ASIN: 0520234510

Book Description

Calligraphy is a defining feature of Chinese culture, both a means of communication and a revered form of art. It has changed more dramatically during the half century since Mao Zedong established the People's Republic in 1949 than over the preceding fifteen hundred years. At first the traditional art of calligraphy was transformed into an instrument of political power and protest, wielded on an unprecedented scale. Over the past three decades it has emerged as a more visually exciting modern genre, one that offers fascinating insights into the people of modern China.
For The Art of Calligraphy in Modern China, Gordon S. Barrass interviewed many prominent calligraphers. He focuses on twenty-five individuals who have been key figures in this process and who exemplify its main trends, from the grand tradition to the avant-garde. Lavishly illustrated, this sumptuous book charts the development of these calligraphers and makes their distinctive voices accessible to Western readers for the first time.

Customer Reviews:

Finally a book in English on this subject.......2003-05-21

Thank you Mr. Barrass for writing this book, it is such an interesting subject but very little literature is available in English to learn more about this subject.

The book talks about how chinese calligraphy has evolved. As chinese characters are already abstract forms of items, it is interesting to see the next step of how these modern calligraphers have injected their own expression into an old art form.

Although Mr. Barras could not include all the artists he would have liked to, there are also Chinese artists that left China that pursued similar inerests in calligraphy. One such person is Huang Yao...

Book Description

China's entry into the modern era was shaped by unprecedented internal turmoil and external pressures, which brought a forceful end to two millennia of imperial rule and cultural insularity. The essays in this volume offer a variety of perspectives on the impact of the West on indigenous literature, architecture, painting, and calligraphy during this period (ca. 1860-1980). Contents: In the Name of the Real by David Der-wei Wang; Painting and the Built Environment in Late- Nineteenth-Century Shanghai

by Jonathan Hay; Sketch Conceptualism as Modernist Contingency

by Eugene Y. Wang; Li Keran and His Exhibition Paintings by Wan Qingli; Aesthetic Appropriation of Ancient Calligraphy in Modern China

by Lothar Ledderose; From Wu Dacheng to Mao Zedong: The Transformation of Chinese Calligraphy in the Twentieth Century

by Qianshen Bai; Commentaries by Richard Vinograd and Julia F. Andrews

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Fu Shan's World: The Transformation of Chinese Calligraphy in the Seventeenth Century (Harvard East Asian Monographs)
Qianshen Bai
Manufacturer: Harvard University Asia Center
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0674010922

Book Description

For 1,300 years, Chinese calligraphy was based on the elegant art of Wang Xizhi ( A.D. 303-361). But the seventeenth-century emergence of a style modeled on the rough, broken epigraphs of ancient bronzes and stone artifacts brought a revolution in calligraphic taste. By the eighteenth century, this led to the formation of the stele school of calligraphy, which continues to shape Chinese calligraphy today.

A dominant force in this school was the eminent calligrapher and art theorist Fu Shan (1607-1685). Because his work spans the late Ming-early Qing divide, it is an ideal prism through which to view the transformation in calligraphy.

Rather than seek a single explanation for the change in calligraphic taste, the author demonstrates and analyzes the heterogeneity of the cultural, social, and political processes behind it. Among other subjects, the book covers the late Ming interaction between high and low culture; the role of publishing; the Ming loyalist response to the Qing; and early Qing changes in intellectual discourse. In addition to the usual approach of art historians, it adopts the theoretical perspectives of such fields as material culture, print culture, and social and intellectual history.

The Art of Calligraphy in Modern China.(Reviews of Books)(Book Review): An article from: The Journal of the American Oriental Society

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The Art of Calligraphy in Modern China.(Reviews of Books)(Book Review): An article from: The Journal of the American Oriental Society
Robert E., Jr. Harrist
Manufacturer: American Oriental Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B00082C3V4
Release Date: 2005-07-31

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Journal of the American Oriental Society, published by American Oriental Society on April 1, 2003. The length of the article is 1531 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Art of Calligraphy in Modern China.(Reviews of Books)(Book Review)
Author: Robert E., Jr. Harrist
Publication: The Journal of the American Oriental Society (Refereed)
Date: April 1, 2003
Publisher: American Oriental Society
Volume: 123 Issue: 2 Page: 406(3)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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The Art of Calligraphy in Modern China
Gordon S. Barrass
Manufacturer: Univ of California Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OLZT4C

Aspects of Eastern and Western calligraphy (University of Hawaii)

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Aspects of Eastern and Western calligraphy (University of Hawaii)
Joanna Shaw Eagle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Modern | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Customer Reviews:

SURPRISED WITH NUMBER OF PAGES.......2005-10-26

My brother-in-law has the exact same title book,his book has over 600 pages! I ordered the book thinking that I would get a similar copy at a great price. I did not realize that I was purchasing an condensed version. The information in the book, although somewhat sparse is good. Thank you.

North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment.......2005-10-04

A few years back I signed up for a class in silversmithing which soon became addictive. In addition to that interest, I have always been interested in primitive art such as that of the American Indians, the cave drawings, Australian Aboriginal art or spiritual drawings. These forms of spirituality and art or of art are very powerful. I have chosen to concentrate my silversmithing designs toward the designs I see from these primitive peoples. The book, North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment has proven to be very helpful toward that aim. In addition to that, it's just plain good reading.

One quibble/caution.......2004-05-24

This gorgeous book is indeed indispensable, especially if "read" visually. Unfortunately, quite a few of the tribal attributions for historic objects (information given to the author by museums) are wrong. Given the scope of this project, Dubin had little choice but to take often out-dated info at face value rather than do her own research. However, readers should keep this caveat in mind when using this work as a reference.

A must-have!.......2004-05-16

This book is a must-have for anyone serious about studying Native American cultures. It is a fun read, while still being absolutely crammed with information. It's clear the author put in a lot of time and work to master her subject. Not to mention, the artwork featured in the book is beautiful. I love to breeze through it when I've had a hard day, just to feel my spirits lift looking at such amazing works of art. You will learn so much and enjoy the journey enormously.

superb, magnificent.......2003-07-02

this book could easily inspire a life of crime--how else to afford the gorgeous contemporary jewelry? or acquire the museum quality antique and archeological collections?

as a knitter, embroiderer and beader, i am always looking for inspiration for my pieces. i may stoop to outright plagarism when it comes to the works in this incredible book. though i will say that i can only dream of having the level of skill the pieces display. the craftmanship, the artistry, are humbling when one considers the tools the artists had--and the reservation conditions under which too much of the art was created.

the text is wonderfully informative, if you can force yourself to read it, instead of allowing yourself to be mesmerized by the photos.

Book Description

"I can think of no recent book about traditional crafts which has delighted me more than Joel Monture's Complete Guide to Traditional Native American Beadwork. All too often, books of this nature are either as boring as a repair manual, or obscure and inaccurate. Monture's triumph is that his book is not only the best and most complete book about virtually every aspect of Native American beadwork tools, materials, styles and methods, it is also clear, interesting reading. Written from the point of view of a Native master craftsman who is also a gifted teacher, and accompanied by striking full-color photos, it can serve as either a beginning point or a lifelong reference tool. I am confident that Monture's book will bring him wide praise, not only from beadworkers, but also from any person who delights in knowing more about the meaning and the history of an indigenous artform which is finally attracting the sort of critical attention and informed appreciation it deserves."
—Joseph Bruchac, author of Keepers of the Earth

Includes all the basic stitches and designs
Contains a special section on natural tanning methods
Extensive glossary
Full-color photos of authentic Native American beadwork

Customer Reviews:

Native American Beadwork & more!.......2006-03-16

This is a great book for those looking for authentic beadwork styles. The author covers a broad range of styles. He also discusses different backgrounds and even provides instruction for hide tanning.

Preserving tribal styles and techniques.......2004-09-18

The author, Joel Monture, is a professor of traditional arts at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe. His thorough textbook documents not only native American beadwork techniques, but the tedious methods of leather preparation that are necessary prior to beading.

A San Antonio local artisan, Ken Yanez, is familiar with this process of scraping, lacing and brain-tanning leather. Ken befriended a native American while in the Marines and accompanied him home to the reservation during military leaves. There, an elder showed Ken some magnificent, old beadwork. Ken was surprised to learn that the tribal youth showed little interest, including his friend. Although Ken doesn't have sufficient native American ancestry to qualify for tribal membership, he made a personal commitment to learn these techniques. Ken's projects are authentically produced but cannot be labeled as "Indian made."

Why don't tribal youth show more interest in native American craft? Preparation for beading in the native American tradition, such as brain-tanning of hides, is labor intensive, although the results are buttery-soft, making the leather pliable for decorative beading and quilling. Because of the work and time involved, few of today's tribal youth want to perpetuate the craft. "Time" has become "money," so if there is interest in doing crafts in the classical tradition, it's to make some money. Ken will attest to the amount of time it took to make a cradle board for his son. He certainly couldn't sell it for a price to equal the months that he put into the project.

To offset the lack of interest in fine craft, author Joel Monture has captured the steps needed to recreate the obvious beauty inherent in native American beadwork. The book features 43 color plates of beadwork, including the styles of many North American tribes.

In one respect, Joel is preserving an anthropological record of the personal ornamentation used by various tribes by showing us the differences and similarities of style. To lose these tribal identifiers results in cultural homogeny and a disconnect with our human history. Joel's sense of history has led him to capture these artistic techniques before they are lost.

It's worth looking at........2004-07-15

I just got this book along with two others the other night. Haven't had the chance yet to read it completely yet. Having scanned it a bit though, I would say the section with color photos is good, particularly if you're a crafter looking for patterns. The text I've read up to this point is good and worth reading. I've had a little bit of a hard time with some of the diagarms though, particularly some of the ones dealing with hides and hide tanning. Not that I'm looking to tan hides right now, but I thought it would still be interesting to understand the process. Several of the stitch diagrams are easier to follow though. There are black and white photos as well in this book. Most came out fine, but I think a there are a few that must have had poor lighting.

beautiful book.......2003-03-31

i love indian art, traditional and contemporary. i have a small collection of northwest and inuit art. i have studied the histories of several nations. but i am not an indian. no matter how much study i may devote to indian arts and history, i will never be an indian, i will never have the intimate knowledge that comes from growing up in a culture. i would never presume to tell any member of any indian nation that his or her work was not 'traditional.'

and what, exactly, is tradtional? louise keyser, a washoe who died in 1925, created a new form of basket in the 1890s that was based on her tradition and her knowledge of other nations' traditions. this is what artists do--take what they know, build on it, and create new forms. after all, indians happily absorbed european beads into their 'traditions.'

i design my own knits, embroideries and beadwork. this book offers stunning photos and a good section on traditional color use which together give me a good starting point for my own creations and which is why i rate this book at five stars.

note on nomenclature: the indians i have known were not concerned about indian/native american. i object to native american since the indians migrated (IMmigrated) here just as everyone else has, albeit a few thousand years earlier. if i have offended any indian/native american by this use, i apologize. if a european doesn't like it, well....

Native Beadwork from a Native perspective.......2003-02-05

How interesting that the beadwork book chosen as more "authentic" by some here was written by a European from Germany! Mr. Monture is Six Nations (Mohawk, I believe) from New York State, & has taught Native Arts at the American Indian Arts Institute (a college *for* Native artists) for some years.

Again, its more about where you're from. Some could say it is 'romantized', as it doesn't go into how much work it actually is to produce hides, that its smelly, you need a lot of guidance & practice, etc.

Different tribes use different techniques, & this book is definitely written from a more northeastern tradition, perhaps difficult to appreciate as it is less known outside these communities. (Plains beadwork is usually what the mainstream usually recognizes as 'authentic'.)

That said, one probably needs a little background to get the most from this book. I do wish there was more discussion on color use and Great Lakes pattern development, but these are also skills which are best honed by doing. I enjoyed this book, which does pack a lot of information into relatively little space. The construction techniques are excellent!

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American Indian jewelry
Harvey Thomas Cain
Manufacturer: Heard Museum of Anthropology and Primitive Art
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Native American | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007FARY2

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North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment From Prehistory to the Present
Lois Dubin
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VAEEYM

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Southwestern Indian jewelry (Papers of the School of American Research)
Ruth Falkenburg Kirk
Manufacturer: School of American Research
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Native American | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007F31X6

Book Description

When Pat Brady puts pen to paper, readers can't resist following his original images and tight story lines. This creator pulls more material from the one-child Gumbo family than other cartoonists can with five times the number of characters and settings.

That magic comes through in Brady's seventh collection, Rose is Rose Running on Alter Ego. The lively series of daily and Sunday strips revolves around Rose-devoted wife and doting mother-who, try as she might, just can't keep her biker chick fantasies totally in check. Rose never knows, as she manages her blue-collar husband, Jimbo, and their energy-fired son, Pasquale, when Vicki the Biker may show up. But when the long-haired, short-skirted babe surfaces, it's always with a breath of fresh air and a fresh take on "normal" family life.

Besides appearing on the cover, Rose as Vicki shines throughout the collection, in six new full-page drawings created just for the book. Each shows the seemingly satisfied housewife's alter ego performing some mundane chore demanded by Rose's less adventurous life, while Brady's usual mix of family fun, frolic, and fancy gives Gumbo fans plenty of delight.

Customer Reviews:

Inventing Visuals, Funny Strips.......2005-10-10

I've loved "Rose is Rose" since the very beginning. While I miss Pasquale's phonetic speech, the inventions of the later years (the dreamship, Peekaboo) keep this one of the best strips around. The visuals are stunning and the comedy is great.
If there's a knock, it's that sometimes I think Brady works so hard to get a perfect visual that the joke itself isn't that good. It's a small knock, though, because the resulting cartoon is amazing to look at!

Perfect To Relate With..........2005-08-15

"Rose Is Rose Running on Alter Ego" is a nice book to read. The pictures are great, the stories are wonderful. The comic strip itself is a gem. Its about Rose Gumbo, a wife and mother devoted to her husband and son Pasquale, while trying to cope with her regularly boring life. To periodically escape from it, she would often delve in her alter-ego Vicki, a tough-talking, biker babe who looks at life with reckless abandonment and loves to enjoy life to the hilt.
This book is perfect for those who can relate to Rose Gumbo. I'm positive that there are a little bit of Rose Gumbo in ourselves. I have a friend with a Rose-like situation but his alter-ego is also of the female kind. It is a nice gem to read and to sit and relax.

STYNX!.......2005-04-24

This and 'Legend of Dr. Drake' were the 2 worst comic collections I ever have seen.This is 'Dr. Drake' only without drunkeness and hotties.

Hilarious as ever.......2005-04-23

Rose is Rose is a comic strip that speaks more to adult women (especially wives and mothers) than anyone else. It is designed to combine cuteness with humor. Pat Brady's new Rose is Rose book "Running on Alter Ego" is a mixed around collection of strips published in newspapers around the nation dating from April 07, 2003 to February 29, 2004. This collection of 250 strips from a span of 287 days (out of 366) provides a wide variety of humor ranging from Peekaboo's diet to a bird 'beak-sync'ing to entertain Rose.

Some disappointing things in this collection are certain stoylines involving 3 or more strips were missing a valuable strip. For example, Peekaboo gets claw snagged on a kite and the whole family struggles to get her back safely to the ground. The last strip of that story, Peekaboo's landing, was eliminated from the book. Some of the others could stand on their own without the missing strip, but this one I felt needed the fourth strip.

Fortunately, some highlights of the book include:
('Titles' are my description of the strip/story)

Being a 'Chain-Breather'
Dreamship and the Mars Rover
First 23 hours
Guardian angel's secret to getting rich
Guardian angel vs mosquito
Life is short
Needing Straight A's
Peekaboo snagged on kite
Play-doh Elvis
Pleading 'Oops!'
Ugly winter hat

And that is just a small sample found among the 127 pages of this book. There are still many more strips that were in the newspapers in the past years that haven't been published in book form, yet. I hope Mr. Brady will one day get every single Rose is Rose strip he's ever written into book format for fans to forever enjoy. --- BTW, I don't get Rose is Rose in my local paper. I have to read it online.

Book Description

Mark Twain's Book for Bad Boys and Girls is the first-ever compilation of Twain's own wise and witty essays, sketches, and stories on the joys and rewards of misbehavior.

Customer Reviews:

Not what I had hoped to read..........2006-08-01

I have always appreciated the work of Mark Twain. He manages to combine a witty, sardonic pen with a quality narrative approach that has always kept me engaged in his wonderful stories. So, I had hoped that this little collection of snippets from his works would be equally charming.

Unfortunately, I came to realize about halfway through this book that Twain's biting sarcasm is only pallatable in sporadic doses. In this book, there is no narrative to follow and no characters to develop. Instead, his many biting comments about morality, the church, and virtue are slammed up against each other, to a rather jarring effect. He repeatedly lambasts anyone and everyone who would encourage young people to make good choices, with no breather in between.

In this form, I found Twain to be mean-spirited, arrogant, and offensive. Though there are a few touching moments that prevent me from rating it with 1 star, I would not recommend this book to anyone, especially not to children. The nasty side of Twain's wit is exposed for all of its ugliness, and I did not enjoy the view.

Better, Much Better Than William Bennett.......2003-12-02

This is a great little book. A gift to kids that will touch their minds and set off mini-explosions of laughter and possibility. William Bennett, the idiot of our times, could never have thought of this stuff and doesn't have the intellect or imagination to be able to write this well. Let's buy this book and dismiss William Bennett. Mark Twain is an American original.

Charming, fun, instructive.......2003-11-11

Even a book this small reveals how wonderful was the pen of Mark Twain. It is brimming with good-natured mischief and well-told yarns. It is the perfect antidote to the smarmy nonsense plopped onto the bookshelves by The Gambling Gourmand, William Bennett. A perfect gift for an intelligent youngster, and a delight for adults.

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