LANDSCAPE OF THE SOUL, CBSE LITERATURE, Q ANS

Who was the untutored genius who created a paradise and what is the nature of his contribution to art?    

Nek Chand created a garden himself. He sculpted with stone and recycled material. It later came to be  known to the world as the 'Rock Garden' at Chandigarh. His art has proven to be "an outstanding testimony of the difference a single man can make when he lives his dream". 

What wonderful tale is told about the Chinese painter Wu daozi?

Ans. The Chinese Emperor engaged the painter Wu daozi, to decorate the palace walls with landscape paintings. He did his job exceedingly well but worked behind a curtain. He forbade anyone from seeing the progress. Only the king could see and admire it. When it was done, he invited the king to come and pay a visit. The panel work on the walls was just mind boggling. It was a nature scene. There were hills, trees, wild animals and even caves. The painter came near the cave, clapped and the door opened. The painter got into a cave, no less beautiful. The gate closed before the king could enter it. All the paintings also disappeared along with their maker.

What do you understand by the. term 'outsider art' and 'art brut' on 'raw art'?  

The 'outsider art' is the art of those people who have no formal training to be called artists. They prove their talent and artistic insight. The notion of 'art brut' or 'raw art' shows the cultural and artistic influence. Anything and everything from a tin to a sink to a broken car could be material for a work of art. It’s new, unthought of and special.

What idea about art does the story of Wu daozi convey?

Ans. The Chinese story conveys the idea that the Emperor could only rule over his territory, but would not understand the spirit of art. Only the artist knows the way within. He alone can enter the universe of art spirit.

Contrast Wu Dao Zi’s story with another famous painter’s story. Comment on them.

Ans. Daozi’s story is in contrast to another story. Another famous painter drew the picture of a dragon, but without the eyes. He had a fear that if he painted the eyes, the dragon would then fly out of the painting. It shows the liveliness of the eastern art.

Write a note on the concept of Shanshui. How does it illustrate the Daoist view of the universe?

Ans. A Chinese landscape goes beyond the external look of an object. It shows inner life and spirit. This is known as the Daoist view of the universe. It is expressed through the concept of Shanshui.

The word Shanshui literally means ‘mountain water’ or ‘landscape’ in totality of three dimensional. Mountain and water are the two complementary poles of the earth. The mountain is Yang, a vertical and warm object reaching out to Heaven. It represents masculine energy. Water is the female aspect of energy. She rests on the earth, damp and cool. Yang is active, Yin is receptive. Both signify the important aspects of the male and the female who interact to create the world.

What is the third element, represented by the ‘Middle Void’ in the Chinese landscape?

Ans. The masculine energy of Yang and the female energy of Yin are incomplete without each other. But their interaction takes place in the ‘middle void’, or blank space left in a Chinese landscape. Nothing can happen without the combination of both aspects of energy. It’s illustrated by the asian breathing philosophy. Breathing in and out has a middle void for a moment. Honing this part is important for spiritual transcendence.

What does the wonderful expression ‘the eye of the landscape’, as suggested by Francois Cheng, mean? 

Ans. Francois Cheng, in his fabulous expression ‘the eye of the landscape’, talks of the importance of Man, and the basic role he plays. Man is not afraid of high mountains as depicted in a natural landscape. He connects the two poles and he alone has got the eye to perceive the landscape.

 

Bring out, in brief, the contrast between European art and Chinese art.

Ans. The European or western landscape creates the art the way it looks in actual view. It produces the illusion of reality. The painter wants the viewers to perceive his work through his eyes and from a precise viewpoint. The Chinese landscape is vague, inaccurate from viewers’ point. It calls upon the viewers to use their eyes as well as imagination to perceive the impresion the art enacts.

Explain the terms ‘illusionistic likeness’, ‘figurative painting’ and ‘delicate realism’.

Ans. The word ‘illusionistic’ means creating a sort of illusion or false impression. European art tries to create the idea from an actual viewpoint. ‘Figurative’ also has something to do with ‘figure’ or the actual shape of a thing. The word delicate means subtle or sensitive. Art reproduces not an exact view of reality, but only a semblance of it.

How does the author contrast the Chinese view of Art with the Western concept of painting? Which one do you find easy to understand and admire?

Ans. A classical Chinese landscape does not very clearly depict reality. It leaves enough scope for the viewer to use his finer senses. The painting can be conceived from any viewpoint. One does not require to perceive it through the eyes of the painter. The scroll on which the artist paints has white, blank spaces left after every painting. It gives freedom to the viewer to travel vertically. It captures the essence of inner life.

A European or Western painting is represented in a very realistic way. The painter wants the viewer to use his imagination from his own viewpoint. It creates an illusion of delicate realism. The story of Quinten in the 15th century illustrates this point clearly. He entered a painter’s studio slyly and painted a fly on the artist’s blank canvas panel. The artist mistook it for a real fly and tried to swat it away. That story symbolises the essence of the Western painting.

What is the role of man in the space between Heaven and Earth?

Ans. Yang or the male vertical mountain represents Heaven. Yin is the feminine aspect of energy. Water lies flat on the Earth. The space between Heaven and Earth is connected to Man. He becomes a means of communication between the two.

What is the special feature of the horizontal scroll? How can it be appreciated?

Ans. The unique feature of Chinese horizontal scroll is that it does not give us an integrated view of the scene. There is a gap between one picture and another. It leaves scope for the viewer to use his mind and imagination. The landscape is not realistic but an inner one.

Which story from Flanders in Europe is most representative of Western painting?

Ans. The story from Flanders is about a famous painter who would not draw the eyes of a dragon he had painted. He had a fear that with eyes to see, the dragon would fly out of the painting. It’s ridiculously true but hard to grasp actually.

What does the European story about Quinten Metsys say?

Ans. The story about Quinten Metsys illustrates the illusion of reality created by European paintings. It deals with outer appearances. While Asian art tries to capture the spirit or inner life, the western art speaks of external look and view of the image.

What does the Chinese story about the Emperor and Wu Daozi illustrate?

Ans. The Chinese art story indicates the excellence of art and skill of the artist. Wu Daozi created wonderful landscapes on the walls of the court of the palace. The emperor admired only the outer looks of the work. Only the painter knew how to enter the mysterious world of art and be in communion with them. An artist alone understands the mysterious and the transcendental works of the universe.

What are Nek Chand’s unique achievements and gifts to the world? How did he get international recognition?

Ans. The India-born and untrained artist Nek Chand developed the concept of ‘outsider art’. He created a paradise using waste material at Chandigarh. He cut and cleared the rocky place and created his dream. This drew the attention of the world. His art is the art of an untrained visionary. It is said to be the art of those who have ‘no right’ to be called artists because they have received no formal training. But sometimes such artists show remarkable talent and insight. Nek Chand’s creation is known as the ‘Rock Garden’.

The Swiss Commission organised a European exhibition in 2005 on Nek Chand’s works of art. It was shown in various other European countries. Thus Nek Chand, although untutored, won international recognition.

What did the Chinese philosophers try to achieve through their story books?

Ans. The Chinese philosophers had many stories which were moral. Confucius included many stories in his books. They meant to guide their disciples in the right direction. Secondly, the stories reveal the spirit in which art was considered in ancient China.

How did Quinten Metsys impress the painter and marry his daughter?

Ans. Quinten Metsys, a master blacksmith, fell in love with a painter’s daughter. But his suit was rejected on grounds of his low vocation. One day he entered the studio of the painter secretly and painted a fly on the blank canvas panel. The painter took it for a real one and tried to swat it away. He was ultimately impressed by the skill of the blacksmith and finally agreed to marry his daughter off to him.

What is shanshui? How does it express the concept of the word 'landscape'?

Ans. Shanshui is a concept about the mystery and origin of the universe. The landscape literally means ‘mountain water’. These two elements are like two poles and a source of energy. One is horizontal another is vertical. These two elements cover the entire three dimensions of the world.

The mountain is vertical and male; the water is horizontal and female. These are also called Yang and yin. They are imaginary and symbolic. Their relationship keeps the world going.

How do Yang and yin illustrate the story of the origin of the human race?

Ans. Yang and yin are a part of the Daoist view of the world. These are two poles which complement each other in producing energy and this universe. Yang represents a vertical mountain. Yin is water that flows horizontally. The union of male and female energy has created this universe. In the kike manner, both of them has covered the universe’ three dimension.

Disclaimer: Images have been taken from the sites of Google.