paintings with little playing children only in Tianjin?

[holger]

Greetings,

I visited the 古文化街 with my friends some days ago and saw some nice paintings of little playing kids and thought I might buy one or two as gifts home those back home.

The kids look all a bit the same with big heads and braided hair. This may be right well for a grandmothers sleepingroom here but to me they look anything but boring, there's some evil thing in the air that i cannot see where it comes from ;)

My guide told me that these are typically local paintings I can only buy in Tianjin. Does someone know which I'm talking about and could maybe give me more information like what era they root in, who were famous artists, what should i pay attention to when buying one etc.?

Thanks!!

[trevelyan]

I know the paintings you're talking about, although I think most of them are mass-produced now (you can find them outside Tianjin on various "cultural streets"). You're right that there is something faintly menacing about them. They remind me of Kissinger for some reason too.

If you're looking for a local gift to hoist on people, Tianjin also has "evil cake" -- white spongish blobs of drywall-like substance which suck all the moisture out of your mouth when they're not otherwise employed as construction material. I was unsuccessful in attempting to give the stuff away in Beijing after an over-enthusiastic purchase in Tianjin.

[studentyoung]

Does someone know which I'm talking about

Maybe you are talking about the local traditional new year pictures, right?

http://image.baidu.com/i?tn=baiduimage&ct=201326592&cl=2&lm=-1&pv=&word=%CC%EC%BD%F2+%B4%AB%CD%B3%C4%EA%BB%AD&z=0

Does someone know which I'm talking about and could maybe give me more information like what era they root in, who were famous artists, what should i pay attention to when buying one etc.?

Yang Liuqing's Spring Festival Pictures, which is considered a unique art form, originated in Qing Dynasty (1368-1644). Yangliuqing, a town that is already one thousand years old, is the birthplace of this folk art. In Qing Dynasty, there were once nearly 100 painting workshops in the town. Over 3000 artisans were in the business. That was a spectacular period when every family possessed exceptional skills of painting.

http://www.teda.gov.cn/englishnew/local/ylsfp.htm

清朝时，杨柳青的年画就已发展得十分完善了。康乾时期，杨柳青年画的风格严谨，背景简洁，注重人物神情的刻画。这一时期的代表人物是齐健隆、戴康增两位画师。

　

http://xz.vshu.com/cn/Doc/0502/06134748.htm

Thanks!

[holger]

Thanks for the information!

I went again to the 古文化街. This time hiding my long nose outside the shop for more than half an hour, letting my chinese friend discuss the price. We finally bought three for 80,- per piece that normally cost 160,- per piece.

http://www.n0t.de/v/user_albums/Tianjin/Fruehling+2007/100_3576.jpg.html

greetings

Edited August 6, 2009 at 08:39 PM by holger