Old-China--by-Charles-Lamb-古瓷器分析

Part2OldChinabyCharlesLambWhatistheauthor’sattitudetowardsachinateacupfromthispassage?Theauthorexpressedhisspecialaffectionsfor“oldChina”,inthat“Ihaveanalmostfeminineparticularityforoldchina.”Fromhisdescription:“tothoselittle,lawless,azure-tincturedgrotesques,thatunderthenotionofmenandwomen,floatabout,uncircumscribedbyanyelement”,wecanassurethattheauthor’sviewofChinawasnotbeyondthelimitationoftheEuropean’sin18thcentury.Fromfineporcelainteacupondepictingthelandscapeandportrait,theauthorseemedtoseethewholepictureofthekingdom,theold,seeminglyfairywoman,disguisedtermsofofficersladies,original,streams,towers,etc,asifformedtherealisticportrayalofChina.Asamatteroffact,LambnevercametoChinainhislifetime.So,histhoughtsaboutChinawerejustreliedonhisimaginations.Theauthors’sunderstandingofChinesepaintingjustreflectedthelimitationofhisnarrowunderstandingaboutChina.Lamblovedancientporcelainandalsoveryappreciatedthepaintingonporcelain,buthecompletelydidn'tunderstandthemysteryoftheChineseart.HealsothoughtthatChineseperspectiveprinciples.SoLambstartedtocommentonChinesepaintingwithwesternartisticstandards.Forexample,ashisunderstanding,“thelady”can’tstepinto“alittlefairyboat”,because“…mustinfalliblylandherinthemidstofaflowerymad—afurlongoffontheothersideofthesamestrangestream!”Allinall,LamblovedChineseantiquesandartseventheimaginativeculture“printed”ontheworksofart.Hesaid:“It’satriumph,whenwecovetedacheapluxury.”Lamb’saffectionforoldchinarepresentedthathecherishedtheperiodoftimewhenhewaspoorbutcontented.