From grandeur to delicacy: Evolution of literati brushwork from form to expression

Abstract

As one of the most important expressive languages and forms in Chinese painting, brushwork and ink not only play the most crucial artistic role in a painting but also guide Chinese painting to stay on course throughout history. Reflecting the national cultural spirit, literati painting has shaped its own charming image with its profound cultural character. Chinese painting should not be content with general formal expression; instead, it must delve into a deeper artistic realm. Over a thousand years, the richness and profundity of the changes in brushwork and ink are the inevitable results of the maturation of the aesthetic consciousness of literati painting. Its profound cultural accumulation shines even brighter in today’s diverse art world.