The landscape of the soul class 11 question answer and previous year's paper solution get here. Also Summary of the chapter and important notes on the English AHSEC Assam Board. 


Landscape-of-the-soul-AHSEC-notes

Summary Of the Chapter

In this Chapter, the writer contrasts two forms of art- Chinese art and European art by using two different stories. In China during the eighth century, the tang emperor Xuanzong commissioned a painter Wu Daozi to decorate a wall in the palace. Upon seeing the wall painting, the Emperor started noticing the outer appearance of the painting but the painter drew his attention to a cave at the foot of the mountain. The painter told the Emperor that he would take him inside.

As soon as the painter clapped his hands, the door of the cave opened, the painter entered and the entrance closed behind him. The painting on the wall was gone and so was the painter. In another story, a painter wouldn't draw an eye to a dragon as he feared that the dragon would fly out of the painting. 

In another story to represent a European art form, a master Blacksmith falls in love with a painter's daughter. The father didn't approve of him because of his profession. The blacksmith sneaked into his painting studio and painted a fly on the painter's latest panel. The fly seemed so real that the painter tried to hit it first before realizing it was in the painting.

The painter accepted him as a trainee in his studio. The blacksmith married the painter's daughter and later became one of the famous painters of his time.

These stories revealed how the art form is believed to be followed in two different regions in the world.

In Europe an artist wants the viewer to see a real viewpoint by borrowing his eyes.  The art must be perfect and must be an illusion of likeness.

Whereas in China the artist doesn't paint a real one but uses his inner voice to create their art.
The viewer can enter the painting from any point and can travel according to his own imagination.  

The artist wants the viewer to enter his mind and create a path of his own. This concept is called 'Shanshui' which means mountain water'. When they are used together they make the world 'landscape'.

Textual Question Answers AHSEC

1. Contrast the Chinese view of art with the European view with examples. (2015, 2016,17)
Ans: A Chinese artist believes that art is not at the mercy of the physical eyes, but an essence of the inner spirit in man. He wants the viewers not to follow his eyes to look at a landscape but his mind and look at it through the spiritual eye. He gives us the freedom to interpret a painting in our own way. In the painting made for the Chinese Emperor, the artist Wu Daozi made the Emperor realize that the outer appearance, good or bad, is meaningful. The internal and spiritual beauty is more valuable. 

The European art form is different. A European artist lends a fixed 'real' meaning to his painting, he wants the viewer to see through his eyes to realize the meanings of the landscape. European art creates an illusion of reality. The fly's image painted by Quintan is an example of the European view of art.

2. Explain the concept of 'Shanshui'.(2012,13,14,15)
Ans: The Chinese word 'Shanshui' means mountain water (Yang-yin). Together, these two words comprise the Daoist view of the universe 'Yang' is 'mountain'-stable, warm, and dry in the sun which reaches vertically towards Heaven. Water is 'yin' - the receptive feminine aspect of universal energy. It rests on the earth horizontally and is fluid, moist, and cool.

3. What do you understand by the terms 'outside art' and 'art brut' or 'raw art?
Ans: These terms and words denote a newer form of art, the art of those who have no right to be called artists and are devoid of any formal learning. Such artists through have an inborn talent and a special artistic insight. They can accomplish their art by using many unusual things like tin or even a broken car. Such an Indian artist is Nek Chand- the creator of the Rock Garden of Chandigarh.

4. Who was the 'untutored genius' who created a paradise' and what is the nature of his contribution to art? (2012)
Ans: The 'untutored genius' who created the paradise called the Rock Garden of Chandigarh was Nek Chand. First, he cleared a little patch of jungle, and there he established an outstanding creation of art. Instead of using the conventional tools of art, he used his masterpieces were stones and some broken pieces of materials. Even without any formal training in art, he was capable of giving such a wonderful contribution to outsider art. This is because he was blessed with inborn talent and insight into art. He has been able to take this art form to remarkable heights and earn international acclaim. But he himself said that he is happier to see the people enjoy his creation garden.

Previous Years Question Answers Notes

1..Explain the concept of 'Shanshui'.(2012,13,14,15)
Ans: See Qno. 2 (Textual Question Answers AHSEC)

2. Who was the 'untutored genius' who created a paradise' and what is the nature of his contribution to art? (2012)
Ans: See Qno. 4 (Textual Question Answers AHSEC)

3. Contrast the Chinese view of art with the European view with examples. (2015, 2016,17)
Ans: See Qno. 1 (Textual Question Answers AHSEC)

4. What did Wu Daozi paint for the Emperor? (2016)
Ans: For the emperor, Wu Daozi paints a landscape to decorate the place wall. In painting, he painted the forests, waterfalls, mountains, clouds, and the immense sky along with a cave where dwelt a spirit.

5. What are 'Yang' and 'Yin'? (2019)
Ans: Yang means mountain and Yin means water.

Extra-Important Question Solutions

1. Who was Wu Daozi?
Ans: Wu Daozi was a great painter of China in the eighth century.

2. Who was Quintan?
Ans: Quintan Metsys was a master Blacksmith who lived in Antwerp(now Belgium) in the fifteenth century. His devotion to art helped him to become a painter's apprentice and later become one of the greatest painters of his age.

3. What did Quinten do to achieve his love?
Ans: Quintan decided to prove his dedication to his love. One day he secretly entered the painter's studio and painted a fly on his latest painting. The painters took the fly as a real one and tried to swat it away. Realizing the truth he was very impressed. He married his daughter to Quinten.

4. With Whom did Quintan fall in love? Did he get his love easily? Why?
Ans: Quintan fell in love with a painter's daughter. The girl's father was not ready to accept Quinten as his son-in-law because he was a blacksmith.

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