What are the differences between Chinese and Western art

What are the differences between Chinese and Western art: cultural background and purpose, painting theory, sculpture art, expression, choice of materials, theater art and so on.

1. Cultural Background and Purpose

Western and Chinese art differ in cultural background and purpose. Western art from the Renaissance established the idea of "humanism", which is the mainstream of Western classical art, emphasizing self-centeredness and the pursuit of individual expression. On the other hand, oriental art, represented by China, has taken the "philosophy of heaven and man" as the main line of imagination running through the development of Chinese art, emphasizing the overall concept and expression of meaning.

2. Painting Theory

There are also differences between Chinese and Western painting theory. Western painting focuses on perspective and five tones of light and darkness, pursuing the three-dimensionality and spatiality of the picture, and fixed-point painting. While traditional Chinese painting pursues the mood, and traditional Chinese philosophy is born with each other, emphasizing the lyricism and the mood of ink and brushwork.

3, sculpture art

The purpose and function of sculpture art in China and the West are also different. Most of the Western sculpture appears as the decoration of architectural art, mainly serving the living. While the ancient Chinese mausoleum sculpture is the art of serving the dead.

4, expression

Western art focuses on self-centered expression, and tends to be personalized, figurative way; while the Eastern art pays more attention to the overall concept and expression of imagery, and tends to be abstract, contextualized performance.

5. Choice of materials

Western art is more flexible in the choice of materials, and tends to use a variety of materials for creation. For example, in painting, Western artists will use oil, watercolor, acrylic, chalk and other materials; in sculpture, they can use stone, wood, metal and other materials. This flexibility makes western art works more diverse and rich in expression and style.

6, theater art

There are also differences between Chinese and Western theater art. Chinese drama emphasizes the lyrical realm and the pursuit of the spiritual realm of people, through the performance to show emotions and outlook on life; while Western drama is more focused on the imitation and reproduction of real life, through the conflict and development of the plot to show the characters and themes.