Asian art is markedly different from European art. In ancient times, when Greek and Roman art were becoming more realistic, painting and sculpture in Asian art continued to have a basic element of exaggeration. Whereas portraiture has a very strong base in Western art, in Asian art there is more of a focus on the natural and spiritual.
Spiritual Art
Early Indian art saw religious imagery dominate, particularly through the sculpture of nature gods. With the growth of Buddhism over 2,000 years ago, Indian art then became influenced by this new religion. Buddhism also went on to influence Chinese and Asian art generally, with Buddha statues being a well-known example. Hinduism emerged as the major religion in India around the 7th Century, and the Hindu god Shiva is probably the most famous figure in Indian culture, portrayed as a dancer with many arms.
Batik
Batik is a way of producing patterns on fabrics through dyeing. Specifically, creating a batik pattern involves the dyeing of a fabric through hot wax. This is a process that can be repeated when the aim is to create more intricate designs. Batik patterns are seen throughout Asia, and are particularly popular in Indonesia and Malaysia. Batik is now used around the world, and has been produced for over 1,000 years. It is used on designs in the home, as well as being popularly used for clothing.
Delicate Imagery
Chinese silk painting often tells a story, being painted on scrolls through the medium of watercolors. Silk painting emerged around 2,000 years ago in India, and went on to influence batik design in Indonesia. However, silk painting is a technique now more associated with China, with delicate portrayals of nature being prevalent. These paintings are noted for their striking use of color, especially when featuring flowers and birds as the two main subjects of a painting.
Woodblock Prints
Woodblock prints were popular in Chinese and Japanese art. Japanese woodblock prints commonly featured landscapes and depictions of urban areas, though originally they were of a more religious nature. The height of Japanese creativity for woodblock prints was the 17th to 18th centuries. Chinese woodblock prints dated to an earlier period and heavily influenced Japanese art. Both Chinese and Japanese woodblock prints were to become admired in the West. When Japan opened up to the West in the mid-19th century, many Japanese woodblock prints ended up in Western homes.
