Tao Qian and classical Chinese paintings

Abstract

Tao Qian–related paintings created in ancient China can be divided into three categories: paintings inspired by Tao Qian’s literary pieces; paintings inspired by his anecdotes; portraits for Tao Qian. These paintings have made Tao Qian a cultural icon representative of aesthetics of placid rural seclusion. This article aims to reveal the aesthetic implications of Tao Qian as a cultural icon by finding information about lost paintings taking inspiration from him or assessing the authenticity of relevant ancient paintings preserved in museums or collected by collectors.

Keywords

Tao Qian / classical Chinese paintings / cultural icon / aesthetic implications