Giuseppe Castiglione - Lang Shining New Media Art Exhibition

Exhibition overview
Three centuries ago, Milan-born Italian Jesuit missionary Giuseppe Castiglione (1688-1766) set off for China to preach the gospel. He arrived in Macau in 1715 A.D., and adopted a Chinese name, Lang Shining. Though he arrived in China as a missionary, he was appointed an official court painter due to his exceptional painting skills, serving under Kangxi (1661-1722), Yongzheng (1723-1735), and Qianlong (1736-1795) in a career spanning 51-years. 

Overcoming geographical limitations, Giuseppe Castiglione crossed the seas to come to China 300 years ago. The exchange and dissemination of culture shaped his unique artistic style. This exhibition showcases Castiglione’s artistic achievements through a cross-referencing of the real and virtual to create a sensorial and experiential interactive environment that reinterprets the visual experience of his amalgamation of eastern and western aesthetics in an innovative application of digital art supported by audio and optical technology, where a futuristic aesthetic of virtual neorealism has been created. 

Venue: Heavenly Lord Gallery, Level B2 Xiangke Building

Exhibition Content:

Description of artefacts
Peacock Spreading Its Tail Feathers

Peacocks, males of the peafowl, are known for their circular tail displays that can reach two or three feet in diameter at five years of age. Usually gathered behind the body, the feather dazzle with iridescent opulence when fully expanded for display. The painting depicts the palace gardens with its tiered teal rocks, as well as magnolia, peony, and begonia blossoms, conveying the connotation of “wealth and nobility in halls of jade.” 

Tributes of peacocks from the Hami region began during the reign of the Kanxi Emperor of the Qing dynasty. This painting features a poem “Peacock Spreading Its Feathers” inscribed in the imperial brush of Qianlong, dated the sixth lunar month in the 23rd year of Qianlong’s reign (1758). As noted in the “Ruyi Hall Records” that same year: “On the 27th of the fourth lunar month, Eunuch Hu Shijie announced the decreed: that Lang Shining (Giuseppe Castiglione) and Jin Tingbiao will create a large painting on the western wall of the antechamber to Shuanghe (Double Crane) Study.” The Emperor Qianlong gave very specific instructions for this painting: that Castiglione should paint the peacock and the flora, while Jin Tingbiao (?-1767) would add the rockery, making this work a masterpiece of Eastern and Western “combined brush work.”

Gathering of Auspicious Signs
This scroll depicts a celadon vase with an arrangement of auspicious plants such as dual-blossom lotuses and stalks of millet with two ears of grain, a theme used in painting since the Song and Yuan dynasties to symbolize sagacious rule. Giuseppe Castiglione signed his name in Chinese using the "Song-script" style of Qing court publications, and included a date equivalent to 1723, the first year of the Yongzheng emperor's reign, making it his earliest dated work. The elevated perspective from the upper third of the painting enables the viewer to peer into the neck of the vessel. Castiglione also used white pigment to highlight the shine on the glaze, enhancing the dimensionality of the porcelain vase. In depicting the flora, Castiglione was adept at expressing the undulating three-dimensionality and light and shadows using color blocks. The overall application of color is delicate and refined, endowing the imagery with a texture that seems to radiating from within. The painting is an exemplar of Castiglione’s maneuvering of Western methodology through Chinese themes. The vase shown here bears a resemblance to an imitation Ru-ware celadon vase with linear patterns collected by the National Palace Museum. 

Long-haired Dog Beneath Blossoms
This painting depicts a small reddish-brown dog among peach blossoms in a garden setting. The leafy branch of peach blossoms emerge from an old peach tree with dense, gnarled roots with a couple of thin branches sprouting from the root with flower buds, suggesting that the tree is still full of life. The irregularly-shaped large decorative lake rock in the background echoes the form of the old tree. The posture of the little dog is exquisite and endearing. There is a delicate sense of motion within the stillness, as though it has paused to glance at something external to the composition that has caught its attention. Giuseppe Castiglione used exquisite refinement and realistic methods to depict the animal, conveying not only its three-dimensionality but also the luster of its hair. The realistic external form and the details of the inner spirit establishes this work as one of his most notable animal paintings. This work is undated, but according to Qing court archives, Castiglione made alterations in the second lunar month of Yongzheng's fifth year (1727) to a painting of a small "jujube-red" dog, most likely referring to this scroll.

Auspicious Roe Deer

In the autumn of 1751, the Qianlong emperor accompanied Empress Dowager Chongqing on a tour of the summer mountain retreat. Qianlong also traveled to the Mulan hunting grounds, where he was entertained with a banquet given by Mongolian nobility. The Mongol Taiyiji Bilig-un dalai presented a roe deer as an offering, its fur as white as snow and eyes sparkling red. According to Ge Hong's (283-343) Baopuzi, the deer had a lifespan of a thousand years, turning white after reaching the age of 500. In this painting, the white roe deer has large ears and eyes, a long neck, and a short tail, and was regarded as a symbol of good fortune and nobility. As the year also marked the Empress Dowager's sixtieth birthday,  the Qianlong emperor ordered Giuseppe Castiglione to paint, and composed "Poetry on an Auspicious Deer" to wish his mother a long life. The animal in the painting was made by Castiglione, while the rocks, slope, mahogany, and spirit fungus were added by court artist, Yao Wenhan (fl. ca. 1742-1789).

White Bird of Prey
The branch of an ancient pine juts onto the painting with a white falcon perched atop. Below is a waterfall cascading into a valley. With a short flat head, the falcon’s dark eyes glisten. It has a sharp, protruding beak; strong sturdy legs; and four sharp talons on each claw. Birds of prey were often presented as tribute to the Qing court, reflecting the shared interests of the nomadic peoples of northern China. In the sixteenth year of Qianlong emperor's reign (1751) , the high court official Fu Heng (1720-1770) presented this white bird of prey as tribute, and Giuseppe Castiglione was ordered to paint it from life. The pine tree and waterfall were added by other court artists. The small, agile falcon was a strong flier with a ferocious character, and was often a symbol of courage and victory. On the painting is an inscription by the Grand Academician Ji Huang (1711-1794) from "Imperially Produced Song on a White Bird of Prey,” and the falcon is respectfully referred to as "White General."

Macang Lays Low the Enemy
Macang was a meritorious official in the Qing court's pacification of rebellious Dzungar tribes. In the Battle of Qurman, Macang penetrated enemy ranks and slayed the enemy with three arrows. Although later injured, he valiantly stayed in battle. To commemorate his courage, the Qianlong emperor ordered Giuseppe Castiglione portray him in a handscroll painting, on which the emperor added a long inscription to extol the event. In the painting, Macang’s arrow has felled an enemy whose helmet is tumbling toward the ground. Macang drew his arrow after his lance missed the mark. The horse’s hooves are airborne to convey the sense of speed. The background has been left blank to heighten the tension in the attack. The technique of this work on paper is slightly usual. In addition to rendering ink, the contours of the face have been painted using fine lines and texturizing. Macang's eyes are especially lifelike, underscoring the intensity of his focus. The biography of Macang is not recorded in historical documents, but his tale is told through this painting by Castiglione that commemorates his contributions to the Qing court.

Golden Pheasants in Spring
This scroll depicts begonias in full bloom, and a pair of golden pheasants perched on garden lake rocks by flowing water. The brocade-like flowers, exotic birds, Ganoderma fungus, and bamboo branches are all metaphors to convey blessings and longevity. The rich, vibrant plumage of the red-breasted pheasant is highlighted with white lines and added color create the luster of feathers, however, it does not cast a shadow below. The pursuit of shifting contrast is evident in the depiction of begonia blossoms and Ganoderma fungus with particular attention to color variation. However, the stones and riverbank have been created with Chinese traditional brush and ink, with exceptional attention to creating the scene. The begonia can be seen through the holes in the rock formation, with overlapping branches of bamboo in the space in the background. The composition of this scroll is more complex than that seen in "Myriad Longevity in an Everlasting Spring;” the rocky riverbank is not only a backdrop to plants and exotic animals.

“Storming of the Camp at Gädän-Ola” from “Victory in the Pacification of Dzungars and Muslims”
This painting is also known as “Kalmuk Ayūsi Attacking Dawaachi's Camp on Mount Gädän,” referring to a decisive battle where the Qing army defeated the Dzungars and gained control over the northern marches of the Tianshan Mountain. The illustration depicts General Ayūsi (n.d.), a former enemy who surrendered to the Qing regime, who led 22 horsemen on a surprise attack against the main camp of Dawaachi (?-1759), the Dzungar rebel leader. Dawaachi's camp at Gädän-Ola is depicted as being fully equipped with several cannons. Ayūsi makes an approach toward the enemy camp via a hidden trail. However, once he was discovered, he leads his men and fearlessly charges forward with spear in hand. Taken by surprise, Dawaachi's soldiers attacked their own men in the confusion as they attempted to escape.

Drafted entirely by Giuseppe Castiglione (1688-1766) to realistically depict the scene on the battlefield, the detailed facial expressions of the figures and the dimensional effects of the spatial layers create for the viewer a sense of being on the battlefield and a sense of the atmosphere of slaughter and the tensions of battle in the fog of war. Ayūsi is depicted riding a black horse, thrusting his long spear toward an enemy soldier’s chest. The success of his night attack on the enemy camp prompted Emperor Qianlong to order Giuseppe Castiglione to paint “Ayūsi Scattering Rebels with Upraised Spear,” as well as to personally compose a poem narrating the heroic deed to praised his loyalty and courage.

After being drafted by Castiglione, the first edition sketch was sent to Paris for engraving in 1775. The project was directed by the master engraver Charles- Nicolas Cochin (1715-1790), with craftsman Jacques Philippe Le Bas (1707- 1783) responsible for the engraving. His name has been etched onto the rock in the lower left of the illustration. The copper etching was completed in 1779, and was transported to China in the autumn of the following year by the French East India Company. 
“Lifting of the Siege at the Black Water River” from “Victory in the Pacification of Dzungars and Muslims” 

Black Water River, known in Mongolian as Karausu, is located upstream from the Yarkand River in Xinjiang. The “Lifting of the Siege at the Black Water River” painted by Giuseppe Castiglione is a depiction of Qing general Zhaohui (1708-1764) besieged by rebels in Yarkand before the arrival of reinforcement. Emperor Qianlong personally penned the poem “Lifting of the Siege at the Black Water River” to describe details of the battle. 

The backdrop of densely layered mountains and rise and fall of shadows and clouds offset the hardships endured by the isolated Qing army. The fortification of the Qing army is seen on the left. General Zhao Hui holds his whip aloft at the center, valiant in full armor, he is persevering and calm as he directs his troops, seemingly with the power to instill confidence among his troops. On the right, is a sanguinary scene of reinforcements from the Qing army dispatched on a rescue mission launch attacks against the rebels on all fronts. Elements of the composition were sketched at various times, transcending the temporospatial limitations and seamlessly integrated into one painting, brining Castiglione’s painting prowess into full play, and preserving a vivid record of the Qing army’s victory over the rebels. 

The sketch was sent to France and engraved by master craftsman Jacques Philippe Le Bas, and completed in 1771. The copperplate and prints were shipped back to China the following year.

New Media Works

I.   A Peacock Made of Light
An Immersive Installation of The Peacock Spreading Its Tail Feathers
Description: The National Palace Museum has especially planned this cross-discipline engagement with multimedia artists, the Taipei City Zoo, and contemporary dancers to create a new media art reinterpretation of Castiglione's Peacock Spreading Its Tail Feathers. This work reconstructs elements from the original painting, using modern technologies to manipulate light, shadow, sound as a commentary upon Castiglione's painterly treatment. The design for the shimmering peacock tail screen was meant to mimic stained glass windows found in Italian churches. Researchers from the Taipei City Zoo provided behavioral information to make the peacocks in the installation more vivid and lively. Accessible from the exhibition mobile app is a live stream of real peacocks from the Taipei City Zoo. 

Create Concept: The work is inspired by "The Peacock Spreading Its Tail Feathers", and using multiple optoelectronic materials to modulate light transmitting and imaging. Combining the music from Qing court and spatial ambient sound, it simulates the scenery of day and night moreover transforms the two-dimensional painting into an interactive immersible installation situated within a multilayered, ever-changing spatiotemporal structure. The artists intend to map the new way of seeing and reconstructing the artistic space when contemporary viewers confronted with an interpretation of classical artwork with new media. In this way, they hope to explore the "visible, translucent, invisible of the ideology, vision, context of human beings under the sublime authority of the triad of belief, power, history" and pay tribute to Castiglione with dynamic translucent illumination technique 300 years later.

Artists: The National Palace Museum, Wang Lien-cheng, Louis Erwin Lee, Chang Po-chih, Xiao Zi-xiang
Original Work: Peacock Spreading its Tail Feathers by Giuseppe Castiglione
Dance video: "Spirit of the Peacock" provided and licensed by world-renowned dance artist, Yang Li-ping

II.    A Tour of the Imperial Garden Immortal Blossoms in an Everlasting Spring New Media Art Installation
Walking into the animated projection of Giuseppe Castiglione's "Immortal Blossoms in an Everlasting Spring" is like stepping into a back garden full of flowers. The animation elements are taken from Giuseppe Castiglione's "Immortal Blossoms in an Everlasting Spring". The three-axis space of 3D animation is used to interpret Giuseppe Castiglione's Western perspective composition. The images on the screen operate in a single-point perspective ratio, slowly moving from far to near to the viewer, creating a sense of perspective into the painting. It allows the audience to travel through the space and feel the roaming interest surrounding Giuseppe Castiglione's paintings of a hundred flowers.
Artists: The National Palace Museum, Shih-Wei Wang
Original work of art: Immortal Blossoms in an Everlasting Spring by Giuseppe Castiglione

III.    The Emperor's One Hundred Horses: New Media Animation of the One Hundred Horses
Giuseppe Castiglione's hand scroll One Hundred Horses renders horses in a naturalistic manner, revealing his fine brushworks and his tight and controlled style.

To remain faithful to the original painting, the animation team employed the latest animation technology to represent the horses in various forms such as frolicking, resting, galloping, and crossing the river to underscore their vitality.

Length: 3 min 49 sec
Artists: The National Palace Museum, Digimax
Original work: One Hundred Horses by Giuseppe Castiglione

IV.    Let's Paint One Hundred Horses
The viewer can choose from the blank horses on the scroll and color them in on the tablet computer. The finished image can then be uploaded onto the 4K resolution screen. This installation presents the opportunity for visitors to exercise their creativity and participate in the making of Castiglione's artwork.

Concept: Jeffrey Shaw (City University of Hong Kong)
Application: Mo Luk
Original work: One Hundred Horses

V.    Castiglione's Virtual Flowers
This interactive augmented reality installation visualizes Castiglione's Gathering of Auspicious Signs and Vase of Flowers. A 3D holographic image of a vase of flowers appears on the physical pedestal when viewed through a tablet computer. The application uses the image on the pedestal for reference. Holding the tablet computer, the visitor can walk around and view the holographic image from different angles.

Concept: Jeffrey Shaw (City University of Hong Kong)
Application: Leith Chan and associates
Original work of art: Gathering of Auspicious Signs, Vase of Flowers

VI.    Castiglione's Road to China
Viewers are able to learn about the various chapters in Castiglione's life three hundred years ago through videos about Castiglione using touch screens and hand controllers.

Visitors can choose either to watch video clips or download the full video onto mobile devices. The video introduces Castiglione's birthplace, Milan, the cities he travelled to, including Genoa and Coimbra, and his journey to Beijing after he sailed all the way from Lisbon to China. It also includes the remains of the European-style buildings that he helped to design for the Old Summer Palace.

Artists: Victoria Lu, Institute for Information Industry

VII.    Copperplate Engravings with Sound Effects
This immersive acoustic corridor engages the visitor in a visceral experience of Castiglione’s monumental battle scene engravings.

Concept and design: Jeffrey Shaw (City University of Hong Kong)and N7 Communication
Original works of art: Copperplate engravings of Storming of the Camp at Gadan-Ola and Lifting of the Siege at the Black Water River from Victory in the Pacification of Dzungars and Muslims

Film
A resounding boom is emitted from The Kunyu Quantu (lit. Full Map of the World). Herds of beasts depicted in the map stampede in all directions. What happened to these exotic animals? The call of the ancient map guides the animals drawn by Castiglione to an exciting adventure. The brave dogs from Ten Fine Hounds, and Long-haired Dog Beneath Blossoms, the lemur from Cochin Lemur and the deer from Auspicious Roe Deer, gathered the Ten Fine Hounds to work together to overcome obstacles they also learned to appreciate the spirit of Castiglione's art that combines Chinese and European techniques. This is the National Palace Museum's first 4K animation. Here we have gathered Taiwan's best animators to present Castiglione's art to the fullest under 4K resolution.

Artists: 圖成百駿虛擬畫瓶花百花綺園百駿圖畫室穿真透時─畫孔雀開屏情境裝置