Formal Analysis Of Looking At Crab-apple Blossoms At Night

2 Pages 565 Words

In the words of Frank Lloyd Wright, “Form follows function - that has been misunderstood. Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union.” This is the relationship of form to function found in the Southern Song court painting, Looking at Crab-apple Blossoms at Night. Painted on a silk fan with ink and color, the piece serves a purpose beyond its artistic worth by functioning as a fan. The content of the fan’s imagery is a representation of a poem composed by Su Shi for the emperor Lizong. Looking at Crab-apple Blossoms at Night is, therefore, uniquely able to forge a marriage between not just form and function, but also content.
Because the fan was painted mostly in ink, the silk was most likely covered in a glaze to prevent a diluting of the boldness of the ink due to absorption by the silk. Conversely, sizing silk makes the surface slick and more difficult to paint on. Such a surface requires meticulous and deliberate strokes. Therefore, the artist undoubtedly put a great deal of effort into the composition and content while maintaining a clean and intentional brushstroke.
The scene portrayed on the fan serves two purposes. It illustrates the patron’s poem by prominently displaying imagery from the poem such as the flowers and silver candles. The formal style used by the artist unites content and form. The pictorial imagery serves the dual purpose of creating a mood of serenity. The serenity of the scene lends to the function of the fan, which is to induce comfort. One typically uses a fan when the climate is hot and harsh. The imagery of Looking at Crab-apple Blossoms at Night depicts a cool, spring night at a peaceful and organic structure in the midst of a tranquil and scenic landscape. Anyone who requires the fan’s function is thereby transported to a cool and serene resting spot.
The serene tone of the painting is achieved through the use of several formal techniques. Sharp and angul...