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Extra Questions, Notes, Assignment and study material for Class 11th as Per CBSE Syllabus
Chapter- 4 English Language and Literature
Landscape of the Soul Extra Question and Answer
By- Nathalie Trouveroy
Introduction of the lesson- Landscape of the Soul
This extract highlights the basics of art—Chinese and European. These present a study in contrast. The Chinese paintings are not as realistic and perfect as European paintings. A classical Chinese landscape does not produce the actual view. It can be entered from any point. The viewer is free to travel up and down. He has to participate in it both physically and mentally. The scenery is an inner one. An emperor could rule over his big conquered territory but only an artist could enter it.
In European art, the viewer has to borrow the eye of the painter to look at a landscape. The scene creates an illusion of likeness with reality. This Idea has been illustrated through stories.
The lesson also explains the word landscape and the concept of shanshui. It is the Daoist view. Land stands for vertical and Masculine Mountain. Scape represents water that flows horizontally and is feminine in character. They have to interact although they are like two poles of the universe. The man who acts as their connector is the eye of the landscape.
Important Word-Meanings of difficult words from the lesson- Landscape of the Soul
landscape– the portion of land which one can view at a single glance, भूद्रश्य; commissioned–ordered, commanded, made on demand, अधिकृत किया जान ा; hidden–kept behind a curtain. छिपाकर रखा ;Immense–vast, विस्तृत ; dwells–lives; clapped–beat, बजाई ;entrance–doorway, प्रवेश द्धार ; splendid–grand, शानदार ;convey–communicate, express, संप्रेषित करना ; astonished–taken by surprise; utter–speak, बोलना ;vanished–disappeared, गायब हो गया ; trace–sign, निशान classical–based on ancient knowledge, शास्त्रीय; Confucius–a Chinese philosopher, एक चीनी धर्मगुरु; disciple–pupil, शिष्य; anecdote–a short event or story, लघु कथा ; revealing–disclosing expressive, व्यक्त करने वाली
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Considered–regarded; contrast–mark the difference. अंतर देखो ;dragon–a mythical or imaginary reptile with wings, पंखवाला नाग ; Flanders–a country; profession–job, vocation, व्यवसाय; sneaked–entered secretly, चोरी छिपे आया ;panel–a piece of wood on which a picture is painted, फलक ; delicate realism–soft truthfulness, वास्तविकता ; swat–give a hard blow, भागना;realised–came to know,पता लगा ;apprentice–trainee,प्रशिक्षित ;Illustrate–show, make clear. प्रकट करना ; illusionistic–causing illusion, भ्रांतिजनक ;likeness–similarity, essence–gist,सार; commissions–orders to be painted; appreciates–admires; reveals–explains, बताता है ;Dao–the path or the method, universe–the entire visible world, ब्रह्माण्ड; landscape–painting, भूद्रश्य चित्र ;figurative–flowery, ;प्रतीकात्मक;specific angle–definite point;leisurely–slow and peaceful; specific–typical, definite, विशिष्ट; horizontal–parallel to level ground. समानान्तर; scroll– a roll of paper. सूचीपत्र पट्टिका; dimension–extent, आयाम; participation–activity, taking part. भाग लेन ा; conceptual–pertaining to mind or idea, अवधारणा संबंधी
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Concept– Idea, अवधारणा ;elements–essential parts, तत्व; Image–picture, मूर्ति का चित्र ; complementary–together making up a whole, पूरक; reflecting–showing, explaining; vertically–In a perpendicular manner; stable–firm, ; fluid–liquid substance, तरल; moist–wet, गीला; interaction–union, reciprocal action, पारस्परिक क्रिया ;receptive–the receiving end; counterpart–complementary part, पूरक अंग ; fundamental–basic. मूलभूत; essential–necessary, primary, आधारभूत; notion–Idea, विचार; retain–hold on, keep; suspension–stoppage, विलम्बन, void–empty space, शून्य; meditation–contemplation,मननचिन्तन;occurs–takes place; conduit–channel, pipe; oppressed–weighed down,दबाया गय ा; lofty–high, ऊँची; getting inside’Outsider Art’: mooted—first gave art brut
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Short and Simple Summary of the lesson in English- Landscape of the Soul/ Summary in simple Words/ Critical appreciation of the lesson – Landscape of the Soul
A wonderful tale is told about the Chinese painter Wu daozi who lived in the 8th century. He was engaged by the Emperor to paint on the palace wall. It was the painter’s last painting. He hid his work behind a screen which only the Emperor could see. The emperor admired the scene of forests, mountains, waterfalls and clouds, humans on hilly paths and birds in the sky. In the cave at the foot of the mountain, the painter said, lived a spirit. He clapped his hand and the cave door opened. The inside was no less splendid. He entered the cave with the emperor following him. But before the emperor could move, the entrance to the cave closed. Even the painting on the wall also disappeared. The artist was never seen again.
Such stories are common in Chinese books written by great philosophers like Confucius and Zhuangzi. They reveal the spirit in which art was considered in ancient China. Contrast this story to a representative Western painting. A famous painter of Flanders wouldn’t draw the eye of a dragon he had painted. He had a fear that with open eyes, the dragon would fly out of the painting.
There is a third story of 15th century Antwerp. A blacksmith called Quinten Metsys fell in love with a painter’s daughter. The father rejected his suit because of his law profession. So Quinten one day got into the studio and painted a fly on his latest canvas. It looked so realistic that the painter tried to drive it away. Then he realised what had happened. He accepted Quinten as his apprentice. Quinten married his beloved and became one of the most famous painters of his age.
The two stories show what each form of art tried to achieve. The European art excelled in creating perfect likeness: In Asia, the art presented the inner life and spirit.
In the Chinese story, the emperor admires the outer appearance, but the artist reveals to him the true meaning of his work. The Emperor may rule over the conquered land but only the artist knows the way within, the mysterious works of the universe.
A classical Chinese landscape, unlike Western painting, does not present an actual view. The European painter wants you to look at the landscape exactly as he saw it from a particular angle. The Chinese landscape is not ‘realistic’. You can enter it from any point. He only creates a path for your eyes to travel up and down in a leisurely fashion. This method is illustrated best in the case of a scroll. As you roll the painting scroll up to move on to another painting, you find a dimension of time in it. The viewer has to travel through the painting along with the painter. The viewer’s participation is both physical and mental. The reason is that the landscape is an Inner one, a spiritual one.
This concept is expressed as shanshui. Which literally means mountain water. The two words together represent the landscape, two complementary poles. The vertical mountain is Yang. Which is stable and warm. The horizontal water isyin—resting on the earth, moist and cool. It is feminine while Yangis masculine. This is the basic notion of daoism.
In between the receptive feminine and the active Yang—the two sources of universal energy—Is a third element, the middle empty space, where their interaction takes place. It is essential. Hence, the Chinese landscape leaves white, unpainted space. This is also the field where man plays a key role. He becomes the medium of communication between poles of the universe. He is the eye of the landscape.
Summary in Hindi of the lesson – Landscape of the Soul
चीनी चित्रकार Wu Daozi के बारे में जो 8 वीं सदी में रहता था, एक विस्मयकारी कहानी प्रचलित है उसे सम्राट ने अपने महल की दीवार पर चित्र बनाने के लिए नियुक्त कियाI यह उस चित्रकार की अंतिम कलाकृति थीI उसने अपने चित्राकंन को एक पर्दे के पीछे पूरा कियाI उसे केवल सम्राट ही देख सकता थाI सम्राट ने जंगलों के, पर्वतों के, जलप्रपातोंतथा मेघों, पहाड़ी रास्तों पर जा रहे मानव तथा आकाश में उड़ते पक्षियों के दृश्यों की खूब सराहना की Iपर्वत की तलहटी मे बनी एक गुफा में चित्रकार ने बताया कि वहाँ किसी प्रेतात्मा का वास है Iउसने ताली बजाई और गुफा का प्रवेश द्वार खुल गयाI अंदर का दृश्य उतना ही भव्य था I वह द्वार के अंदर चला गया, सम्राट को भी अपने पीछे बुलायाI पर सम्राट द्वार में प्रवेश कर पाते इससे पूर्व ही द्वार बंद हो गयाI दीवार पर बना चित्र भी लुप्त हो गया Iकलाकार भी फिर कभी नहीं दिखाI
ऐसी कहानियाँ चीन के महान दार्शनिक Confucius तथा Zhuangi द्वारा लिखित पुस्तकों में आम मिलती है,वे दर्शाते हैं कि उस प्राचीन समय में चीन में कला को किस दृष्टि से परखा जाता थाI इसके विपरीत एक पश्चिमी जगत का चित्र लें Iएक प्रसिद्ध चित्रकार ने जो Flanders का निवासी था, अपने परदादा साँप के चित्र में आँख नहीं बनाई Iउसे भय था कि खुली आँख होने पर वह चित्र से बाहर निकल जाएगा Iयह कहानी पश्चिमी कला जगत की चित्रकला को दर्शाती हैI
तीसरी कहानी है 15वीं शताब्दी के Antwrep की Iएक लोहार को जिसका नाम Quinten Metsys था ,एक चित्रकार की बेटी से प्यार हो गया Iपिता ने उसकी प्रार्थना को ठुकरा दिया क्योंकि वह निम्न कोटि के धंधे वाला था Iइस कारण Quinten नेएकदिन स्टूडियो में प्रवेश करके चित्रकार के एक नए चित्र पटल पर एक मक्खी बना दी I वह इतनी वास्तविक दिख रही थी कि चित्रकार ने उसे उड़ाने की कोशिश की I फिर उसे महसूस हुआ कि उसने क्या कियाI उसने Quinten को अपना शागिर्द बना लिया और फिर Quintenने अपनी प्रेमिका से विवाह कर लिया, साथ ही वह अपने समय के सर्वाधिक विख्यात चित्रकारों में से एक बन गया
ये दोनों कहानियाँ दिखाती है कि कला का क्या लक्ष्य होता हैI यूरोपीय कला तो वास्तविकता चित्रित करने में माहिर थी, पर एशिया में कला का लक्ष्य था आंतरिक जीवन और आत्मा का चित्रांकन करनाI
चीनी कहानी में सम्राट चित्र के बाहरी रूप की प्रशंसा करता है, पर कलाकारउसे चित्र का गूढ़ अर्थ समझाता हैI सम्राट अपने विजित देशों पर तो शासन कर सकता है पर केवल कलाकार ही विश्व के रहस्यों का उद्घाटन करने के लिए उसके अन्दर प्रवेश करने का उपाय जानता हैI
एक शास्त्रीय या अतिप्राचीन चीनी भूदृश्य प्रदेश वास्तविक रूप पेश नहीं करता जैसाकि पाश्चात्य चित्र करते हैंI यूरोपीय पेंटर चाहता है कि आप उस दृश्य को ठीक उसी दृष्टि से देखें जैसे उसने देखा था; एक विशेष कोण सेI चीनी दृश्य चित्र यथार्थवादी नहीं होता Iआप उसके किसी भी बिंदु से प्रवेश कर सकते हैं Iकलाकार तो आपकी दृष्टि के लिए एक आराम से घूमने-फिरने हेतु एक मार्ग बना देता हैI इस विधि को चीन के गोल लिपटे कागज पर बने चित्रों में स्पष्ट देख जा सकता हैI आपको इसके अन्दर समय या अंतराल का आभास मिलता हैI दर्शक की सहभागिता शारीरिक तथा मानसिक दोनों प्रकार से होती है Iकारण यह है कि वह दृश्य आंतरिक होता है,. अंतरात्मा काI
इस अवधारणा को ‘Shanshui’ द्वारा समझाया गया है Iइसका शाब्दिक अर्थ होता है पर्वत, जल Iयह दोनों शब्द मिलकर किसी भूदृश्य को निरूपित करते हैं Iयह दो पारस्परिक पूरक ध्रुव हैं I ऊपर उठा पर्वत है याँग, जो स्थिर तथा उष्ण होता है I समतल जल है यिनजो धरती पर फैला रहता है,सीलन युक्त तथा ठण्डा I यह मादा है जबकि याँग पुरुष है Iयही है दाओवाद का मूलभावI
स्वीकार करने वाली मादा तथा सक्रिय यंग के बीच में जो विश्व की ऊर्जा के स्रोत हैं, एक तीसरा तत्व भी है–बीच का क्षेत्र जहाँ इन दोनों ऊर्जा के तत्वों का मिलन होता है, यह अत्यावश्यक भी है Iइसी कारण चीनी भूदृश्य बीच में खाली स्थान छोड़ता चलता हैI यह वह क्षेत्र है जहाँ मनुष्य की प्रमुख भूमिका होती है वह तो धरती के दोनों छोरों, ध्रुव के बीच संवाद का माध्यम है Iवह तो नयनगोचर दृश्य की आँख हैI
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Following is the complete question bank for Landscape of the Soul
Short Answer Type Questions of the lesson – Landscape of the Soul (30 to 40 words)
1.What wonderful tale is told about the Chinese painter Wu daozi?
Ans. The Chinese Emperor commissioned the painter Wu daozi, to decorate the palace walls with landscape paintings. He did his job very well but worked behind a curtain. Only the king could see and admire it. But the painter got into a cave, no less beautiful. The gate closed before the king could enter it. All the paintings also disappeared along with their maker.
2. What idea about art did the story of Wu daozi convey?
Ans. The Chinese story conveys the idea that the Emperor could only rule over his territory, and not understand the spirit of art. Only the artist knows the way within. He alone can enter the spirit of the universe.
3. What did the Chinese philosophers try to achieve through their story books?
Ans. The two Chinese philosophers Confucius and included many stories in their books. They meant to guide their disciples in the right direction. Secondly, the stories reveal the spirit in which art was considered in ancient China.
4. Contrast Wu Dao Zi’s story with another famous painter’s story. What is that story?
Ans. Daozi’s story is in contrast to another story. Another famous painter drew the picture of a dragon, but without the eyes. He had a fear that if he painted the eyes, the dragon would then fly out of the painting.
5. What does the European story about Quinten Metsys illustrate?
Ans. The story about Quinten Metsys illustrates the illusion of reality created by European paintings. It deals with outer appearances. While Asian art tries to capture the spirit or inner life.
6. What does the Chinese story about the Emperor and Wu Daoziillustrate?
Ans. The Chinese story deals with the magic of art and skill of the artist. Wu Daozi created wonderful landscapes on the palace walls. The emperor admired only the outer looks of the work. Only the painter knew how to enter the mysterious world of art. An artist alone understands the mysterious works of the universe.
7. Bring out, in brief, the contrast between European art and Chinese art.
Ans. The European or western landscape reproduces the actual view. It creates the illusion of reality. The painter wants the viewers to see his work through his eyes and from a specific angle. The Chinese landscape is vague. It calls upon the viewers to use their eyes as well as imagination to see its inner beauty.
8. Explain the terms ‘illusionistic likeness’, ‘figurative painting’ and ‘delicate realism’.
Ans. The word ‘illusionistic’ means creating a sort of illusion or false impression. European art tries to create the illusion of an actual view. ‘Figurative’ also has something to do with ‘figure’ or the actual shape of a thing. The word delicate means were subtle or fine. Art reproduces not an exact view of reality, but only a semblance of it.
9. What is the unique feature of the horizontal scroll? How can it be appreciated?
Ans. The unique feature of Chinese horizontal scroll is that it does not give us an integrated view of the scene. There is a gap between one picture and another. It leaves scope for the viewer to use his mind and imagination. The landscape is not realistic but an inner one.
10. Which story from Flanders, Europe, is most representative of Western painting?
Ans. The story from Flanders is about a famous painter who would not draw the eyes of a dragon he had painted. He had a fear that with eyes to see, the dragon would fly out of the painting.
11. How did Quinten Metsys impress the painter and achieved his goal?
Ans. Quinten Metsys, a master blacksmith, fell in love with a painter’s daughter. But his suit was rejected on grounds of his low vocation. One day he entered the studio of the painter secretly and painted a fly on the blank canvas which was spread there. The painter took it for a real one and tried to flip it away. He was greatly impressed by the skill of the blacksmith.
12. What isshanshui? How does it express the concept of the word ‘landscape?
Ans. Shanshuiis a concept about the mystery and origin of the universe. The landscape literally means ‘mountain water’. These two elements are like two poles and a source of energy.
The mountain is vertical and male; the water is horizontal and female. These are also called Yang and yin. They are complementary. Their interaction keeps the world going.
13. How do Yang and yin illustrate the story of the origin of the human race?
Ans. Yang and yin are a part of the Daoist view of the world. These are two poles which complement each other in producing energy and this universe. Yang island, or solid vertical mountain. Yin is water that flows horizontally. The union of male and female energy has created this universe.
14. What is the third element, represents by the ‘Middle Void’ in Chinese landscape?
Ans. The masculine energy of Yang and the female energy of Yin are incomplete without each other. But their interaction takes place in the ‘middle void’, or blank space left in a Chinese landscape. Nothing can happen without the combination of both aspects of energy.
15. What is the role of man in the space between Heaven and Earth?
Ans. Yang or the male vertical mountain represents Heaven. Yin is the feminine aspect of energy. Water lies flat on the Earth. The space between Heaven and Earth is connected to Man. He becomes a means of communication between the two.
16. What does the wonderful expression ‘the eye of the landscape’, as suggested by Francois Cheng, mean?
Ans. Francois Cheng, in his wonderful expression ‘the eye of the landscape’, refers to the importance of Man, and the fundamental role he plays. Man is not frightened of high mountains as depicted in a natural landscape. He links the two poles and he alone has got the eye to understand the landscape.
Important Long/ Detailed Answer Type Questions- to be answered in about 100 -150 words each value-based questions-
1. What wonderful tale is told about Wu Daozi? What light does it throw on the Chinese landscape?
Ans. In China, we come across strange tales about art and painting. These reveal the spirit of Chinese art. One such wonderful tale is told about the painter Wu Daozi of the 8th century. He was engaged by the emperor to decorate the palace walls. Daozi worked behind a curtain. He allowed only the emperor to see the landscapes he was painting. The king admired the beautiful trees and mountains drawn by the artist. Then he saw a cave in the painting and asked its meaning. The artist said that a spirit lived in the cave. He clapped his hands and the cave opened. Wu Daoziinvited the king to enter it with him. But the king was left wonderstruck while the artist entered the cave. The Emperor was left behind. The cave door closed and the artist disappeared. As if by magic the whole wall painting also disappeared.
This story conveys the idea that only an artist understands true art, not the rulers. He alone knows the true meaning of his work.
2. How does the author contrast the Chinese view of Art with the Western concept of painting? Which one do you find easy to understand and admire?
Ans. A classical Chinese landscape does not stick very close to reality. It leaves enough scope for the viewer to use his imagination. The painting can be looked at from any angle and from any viewpoint. One need not see it through the eyes of the painter. The scroll on which the artist paints has white, blank spaces left after every painting. It gives freedom to the viewer to travel up and down. It captures the essence of the inner life.
A European or Western painting, on the other hand, is realistic. The painter wants you to look at it exactly as he had seen it. From a particular angle. It creates an illusion of delicate realism. The story of Quinten in the 15th century illustrates this point clearly. He entered a painter’s studio slyly and painted a fly on the artist’s blank canvas. The artist mistook it for a real fly and tried to drive it away. That story is representative of Western painting.
3. Write a note on the concept of Shanshui. How does it illustrate the Daoist view of the universe?
Ans. A Chinese landscape goes beyond the outward appearance of an object. it represents inner life and spirit. This Daoist view of the universe is expressed through the concept of Shanshui.
The word Shanshui literally means ‘mountain water’ or ‘landscape’. Mountain and water are the two complementary poles of the earth. The mountain is Yang, a vertical and warm object reaching out to Heaven. It represents masculine energy. The water is the female aspect of energy. She rests on the earth, damp and cool. Yang is active, Yin is receptive. Both interact to create the world.
4. What are Nek Chand’s unique achievement and gift to the world? How did he get international recognition?
Ans. The India-born and altogether untrained artist Nek Chand developed the concept of ‘outsider art’. He created a paradise using waste material at Chandigarh. He cut and cleared the rocky place and created his dream. This drew the attention of the world. His art is the art of an untrained visionary. It is said to be the art of those who have ‘no right’ to be called artists because they have received no formal training. But sometimes such artists show remarkable talent and insight. Nek Chand’s creation is known as the ‘Rock Garden’.
The Swiss Commission organised a European exhibition in 2005 on Nek Chand’s works of art. It was shown in various other European countries. Thus Nek Chand by virtue of his untutored talent won international recognition.
