Elte Confucius Institute Held a Lecture on “the Symbolic Meaning of Animals in Traditional Chinese Flower and Bird Paintings

On March 29th (local time), the Confucius Institute at ELTE University hosted a lecture on “The symbolic meaning of animals in traditional Chinese bird and flower paintings.” Mr. Horváth Janisz, a renowned Hungarian painter and calligrapher, delivered the lecture. It lasted 90 minutes, and 13 Hungarians who were interested in traditional Chinese bird and flower painting attended.

A Selection of Paintings

Both the use of color and the painting techniques involved in traditional Chinese painting were covered in the lecture. At the lecture, Mr. Horváth explained to the audience that certain animals signify and convey positive symbolic meanings, which is why they are more frequently depicted in paintings.

Paintings Related to the Change of Techniques and skills

Mr. Horváth also illustrated the evolution and change of painting techniques and skills throughout the centuries, guiding the audience through the application of painting techniques and the representation of their color characteristics in paintings from the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties.

Seals in Paintings

Additionally, as a supplement to his January lecture on “The Aesthetics of Chinese Seal Culture,” he developed a detailed explanation of the seal’s role in painting during this lecture, which provided an opportunity to learn more about the Chinese seal culture’s distinctive charm.

Mr. Horváth concluded the lecture by emphasizing one trait of traditional Chinese bird and flower paintings: while they are nature-oriented, they do not truly reflect the actual scenery. For example, the height of the trees and the size of the leaves of the plants in the painting are not necessarily realistic representations.

A Selection of Zhao Mengfu’s Famous Paintings

It’s worth noting that Mr. Horváth also shared stories about Zhao Mengfu, the famous calligrapher and painter of the Yuan Dynasty, by demonstrating and analyzing his works and skills. The audience responded positively to the lecture; following the lecture, the audience actively posed questions and engaged in a lively conversation with the presenter about the lecture’s substance and associated issues.

Author: Liu Xiaoqi
Picture: Gájász Enikő
Reviewer: Li Denggui
Article Provided by ELTE Confucius Institute

Confucius Institute - Budapest, Hungary

Elte Confucius Institute Held a Lecture on “the Symbolic Meaning of Animals in Traditional Chinese Flower and Bird Paintings

2022. March 29.

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