Analysed Picture
“An Elegant Party”
Text for Transcript
Hello, my name is Shane and this is my multimedia presentation for the course HH2031. This painting, which was painted by the Emperor Huizhong of the Song Dynasty in the 12th Century is named “An Elegant Party”. Known to be a great painter, he had many paintings that have been preserved till today, and this painting is one of them. Situated in the Song Dynasty, this is an outdoor painting of a small Chinese banquet. The outdoor setting can be seen from the trees in the corner of the painting and can also be seen from the round Chinese garden stools that the guests are sitting on.
Upon a closer look of the painting, we see that most of the guests are donned in Chinese academic dress, which consists of a long round-collar robe with long sleeves and worn with a cap which was almost always black and had curved wings. this Chinese banquet can therefore be said to be held for these scholar officials. Noting the maids preparing and serving the food to the guests, it is possible that this banquet is being hosted by the Emperor himself. (1:06)
Focusing on the tableware on the banquet table, we see individual settings of crockery and food. This is because the ancient Chinese did not share food. Furthermore, for etiquette reasons, the Chinese royals and upper class were very persistent with this tradition. However, during particular special occasions such as informal banquets, the Chinese would still put sharing food on the table. These can be seen as the large bowls of food sitting at the centre of the table.
Other than the crockery, we see an abundance of wine and wine glasses on the table. While we often think that the Europeans have a long-standing relationship with wine, fermentation of grain in China has taken place even before the Europeans. Wine commonly plays a role in various religious and secular ceremonies. In addition, it is also a leisurely drink for both the wealthy and poor Chinese. In the case of this painting, the wine was used as a celebratory and party drink.
In conclusion, this painting depicts a Chinese banquet by the Emperor for the scholar officials during the Song Dynasty. It exemplifies the social customs of the period, which can be seen from the table settings and the crockery on the table. The abundance of food and presence of wine also suggests that this scene was unique to the upper class.