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The polychromy of antique sculptures and the terracotta army of the first Chinese emperor: studies on materials, painting techniques and conservation

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Berke, Heinz, Borkopp, Birgitt, Brinkmann, Vinzenz, Cheng, Derun, Colinart, Sylvie, Emmerling, Erwin, van Ess, Hans, Gao, Hanyu, Greipl, Egon Johannes, Guo, Baofa, Herm, Christoph, Jiang, Caipin, Koch-Brinkmann, Ulrike, Kim, Yinglan, Knipping, Detlef, Li, Rujuan, Li, Zuixiong, Lin, Chunmei, Lu, Shoulin, Pagès-Camagna, Sandrine, Petzet, Michael, Qiao, Shiguang, Rösch, Petra, Rogner, Ingo, Shang, Zongyan, Thieme, Cristina, Wiedemann, Hans-Georg, Wu, Yongqi, Yuan, Zhongyi, Zhang, Jizu, Zhang, Tinghao, Zhang, Zhijun, Zhao, Feng and Zhou, Tie (2001) The polychromy of antique sculptures and the terracotta army of the first Chinese emperor: studies on materials, painting techniques and conservation. Conference Volume. Lipp GmbH, Munich, Germany, 183p. Monuments & Sites (2001-), 03. ISBN 3-87490-679-5. [Book]

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Abstract (in English)

An international Symposium on "Polychromy of the Terracotta Army of the First Chinese Emperor Qin Shihuangdi, Studies on the Polychromy of Antique Sculptures; Materials, Painting Techniques and Conservation" was held at the Historical Museum of the Shaanxi Province in March, 1999. This was the first congress ever held on the polychromy of antique sculptures in the People's Republic of China. Polychromy of antique sculptures has, of course, been one of the central topics of discussion of archaeologists since the 19th century and has influenced comtemporary European art into the 20th Century, Intense original colouring cannot be found on a single antique Greek sculpture. Partially due to diverse influences over the centuries, partially due to the deliberate removal of existant colouring, the general public sees sculpture as monochromatic - either white or material-based in colour, even though current research proves it to have been otherwise. The state of information regarding Near Eastern cultures, Egyptian sculpture and Estruscan plastic art is similar to that which has been passed down to us on antique Greek sculpture: at an absolute minimum, fragments or shadowy traces of colour give us a vague idea of the artistic quality and original wealth of the polychromy on antique sculptures. Thousands of terracotta figures, some life-size, some only a few centimetres high, have been excavated in China in the last twenty years. Almost all of these sculptures are elaborately painted; a large number of these figures have been preserved with their original colouring. Without a doubt the most spectacular discovery has been the tomb of the First Chinese Emperor, Qin Shihuangdi. Not only the internationally renowned Terracotta Army of the emperor, but also numerous other burial offerings are completely coloured. These realistically and intensely coloured figures give us the impression of a striking presence and power previously unknown in antique sculpture. The papers presented at this Symposium cover not only Chinese excavations, but also examples from Egypt, the Near East and Europe. Questions concerning clothing and textiles as well as aspects of colour symbolism and the meaning of colour in dif ferent cultures were examined. And last but not least, painting techniques, materials and conservation problems in the different cultures, with concentration on the aspects of natural science and conservation, were presented. Compiled in this publication are the revised papers presented at the Symposium; a general view, and a survey on the polychromy of ancient scupture. It is exciting to pursue the similarities and differences to be found in the finishing of sculptures in the early advanced civilisations. Parallel uses of the colour blue are particularly notable, thus supporting the presumption of an intense cultural exchange in antiquity. The organisers of this Symposium - notably the Museum of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, the Department of Historical Monuments, and ICOMOS - hope that the research on the polychromy of antique sculptures and the cultural exchange will continue. [Preface by Degon Johannes Greipl, Michael Petzet, Wu Yongqi and Zhang Tinghao]

Item Type: Book (Conference Volume)
Authors:
Authors
Email
Berke, Heinz
UNSPECIFIED
Borkopp, Birgitt
UNSPECIFIED
Brinkmann, Vinzenz
UNSPECIFIED
Cheng, Derun
UNSPECIFIED
Colinart, Sylvie
UNSPECIFIED
Emmerling, Erwin
UNSPECIFIED
van Ess, Hans
UNSPECIFIED
Gao, Hanyu
UNSPECIFIED
Greipl, Egon Johannes
UNSPECIFIED
Guo, Baofa
UNSPECIFIED
Herm, Christoph
UNSPECIFIED
Jiang, Caipin
UNSPECIFIED
Koch-Brinkmann, Ulrike
UNSPECIFIED
Kim, Yinglan
UNSPECIFIED
Knipping, Detlef
UNSPECIFIED
Li, Rujuan
UNSPECIFIED
Li, Zuixiong
UNSPECIFIED
Lin, Chunmei
UNSPECIFIED
Lu, Shoulin
UNSPECIFIED
Pagès-Camagna, Sandrine
UNSPECIFIED
Petzet, Michael
UNSPECIFIED
Qiao, Shiguang
UNSPECIFIED
Rösch, Petra
UNSPECIFIED
Rogner, Ingo
UNSPECIFIED
Shang, Zongyan
UNSPECIFIED
Thieme, Cristina
UNSPECIFIED
Wiedemann, Hans-Georg
UNSPECIFIED
Wu, Yongqi
UNSPECIFIED
Yuan, Zhongyi
UNSPECIFIED
Zhang, Jizu
UNSPECIFIED
Zhang, Tinghao
UNSPECIFIED
Zhang, Zhijun
UNSPECIFIED
Zhao, Feng
UNSPECIFIED
Zhou, Tie
UNSPECIFIED
Editors:
Editors
Email
Chen, Ganglin
UNSPECIFIED
Helmreich-Schoeller, Irene
UNSPECIFIED
Ziesemer, John
UNSPECIFIED
Languages: Chinese, English
Keywords: China; ancient art; statues; terracotta; polychrome sculptures; archaeological heritage; conservation of cultural heritage; conservation projects; colours; pigments; paints; gum-lac; wood; textiles; silk; analysis of materials; archaeometry; photographs; comparative analysis; Egypt; Greece; Syria; Iran
Subjects: B. ARCHAEOLOGY > 05. Archaeological research
F.SCIENTIFIC TECHNIQUES AND METHODOLOGIES OF CONSERVATION > 06. Analysis of materials
F.SCIENTIFIC TECHNIQUES AND METHODOLOGIES OF CONSERVATION > 09. Archaeometry
H.HERITAGE TYPOLOGIES > 03. Archaeological sites
L.PRESENTATION AND TRANSMISSION OF HERITAGE > 02. Interpretation
P. GEOGRAPHIC AREAS > 02. Africa
P. GEOGRAPHIC AREAS > 04. Asia and Pacific islands
P. GEOGRAPHIC AREAS > 05. Europe
Name of monument, town, site, museum: Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, China; Aphaia temple, Aegina, Greece; Mo Kao grotto, Dunhuang, China
UNESCO WHC Number: 441
National Committee: ICOMOS International
ICOMOS Special Collection: Monuments & Sites (2001-)
ICOMOS Special Collection Volume: 03
Volume: 3
Number of Pages: 183
ISBN: 3-87490-679-5
Depositing User: ICOMOS DocCentre
Date Deposited: 17 Jul 2023 15:43
Last Modified: 17 Jul 2023 15:43
URI: https://openarchive.icomos.org/id/eprint/2953

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