The Role of Emperor Qianlong as a Patron of Arts during the Qing Dynasty

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Faculty of Fine Arts , Helwan University

2 Faculty of Fine arts , Helwan University

3 Faculty of fine arts, Helwan university

Abstract

The Golden Age of China was the reign of Emperor Qianlong. It was a distinctive artistic reign compared to other predecessors in Chinese history. His achievements were recorded in golden lines in Chinese history. His era experienced a cultural and artistic as well as political blossom. Emperor Qianlong is the fourth emperor of the Qing Dynasty of China. He was a great leader, proud of his Manchurian origins traditions. Qianlong reign lasted about sixty years, he was a politician, warrior, fisherman, poet, calligrapher, artist, and art patron. He replenished rare artworks throughout his life and established special art production workshops assisting the remarkable cultural, and artistic prosperity of China during his reign.

The research sheds light on the emperor's artistic contributions during his rule of China and how he sought to collect his scarce art collectibles and ordered to arrange them in dedicated halls of the palace museum; furthermore, improving his talent as a poet and a painter. The research also presents examples of some of his Collectibles and unique artistic contributions, through which he developed the Imperial Palace workshop, sought to raise the level of court artists, and how balancing between reviving and developing artistic themes from the Chinese heritage. In addition, he recognized techniques and benefited from the experiences of European artists during his reign. He is also credited with bringing a Chinese artistic breakthrough with European touches on the style of sculpture and painting thus contributing to the development of techniques for executing artistic works over the subsequent periods in China.

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