Reunderstanding Chinese landscape oil painting

Abstract

This paper systematically elaborates on the return of the "freehand expression" spirit in Chinese landscape oil painting within the context of cultural consciousness and artistic innovation. First, starting from the philosophical foundation of "expressing the mind and conveying meaning" in traditional Chinese painting, it points out that "freehand expression" originates from Zhuangzi and Zen culture, pursuing the realm of "harmony between heaven and humanity." It gradually integrates with Western oil painting techniques to form a unique indigenous painting language. Second, the article argues for the importance of "ordered freehand expression" as the essence of Chinese landscape oil painting creation, emphasizing that art must follow the progressive order of "truth, goodness, and beauty" and achieve spiritual and cultural return on the basis of respecting public aesthetic norms. Furthermore, by analyzing the relationship between "art" and "technique," it reveals the evolutionary path of painting from instinctive spontaneity to rational construction, noting that the spirit of freehand expression deepens with the changes of the times, ultimately guiding modern artists in exploring inner spirituality and individual experience. Finally, the article reviews the century-long development of Chinese oil painting, proposing that a nationalized and localized path of freehand expression is an inevitable choice for Chinese landscape oil painting to establish its own style and return to cultural tradition, with its ultimate goal point to the Eastern philosophical realm of harmony between humanity and nature.