A Study of the Development History and Stylistic Features of Chinese Ink Painting

Abstract

The modern ink painting in China started in the 1980s and it didn't become popular until the  late 1990s. Up till now, it has become a major branch of Chinese art and painting. This paper makes a brief review on the historical development of Chinese ink painting based on the current studies on the topic. Compared with the western painting, the Chinese ink painting enjoys a special position in terms of spiritual forms, Artistic function, Language Structure, ink and brush form. The study finds that ink painting has a strong philosophical conception of Chinese cultural traditions and an ideology that matches its history, culture and religious beliefs. The values and ideology of the traditional Chinese philosophical outlook can be glimpsed in ink painting, and the ancient subsistence smallholder economic system also permeated and influenced the way of painting in terms of economic and social development. This influence ultimately reflected in the ancient philosophical system of thinking .