Page 214 - Made For Trade Chinese Export Paintings In Dutch Collections

18-10-2016 15:41 Pagina 21
96 pag:Opmaak 1
roos boek 193-288 d

changing situation of the Cantonese export wintry Chinese landscapes should look.
painters as an effect of the globalisation of The production of meaning as value in this
exchanges between ‘the West’ and China, specific movement requires rethinking the
involving, for example, the perception of visual circulatory relationship with other meanings,
art. I agree with Wang that the act of because, as Lydia Liu posits in Tokens of
‘appropriation’ deserves more attention. Wang Exchange, “no value can exist by itself.” 73
explains that only “the approach of In the same impressive volume in which she
‘appropriation’ gives agency to local actors and expands the metaphor of translation, Liu, when
is thus one apposite response to the concern of talking about the term ‘token’, states that: “like
Eurocentrism in art historical research.” 71 verbal signs, objects also constitute
She further points out that the study and “an representations and that their tangible material 213
understanding of local agents and the agencies existence participates in its own signification
that they assume are important in the rather than exists outside it.” 74 Returning to the
exploration of complementary concepts as the value accrued by the Tartarian winter views in
relation of particularism and universalism, or their social life, using ‘translation as a primary
localism and globalism.” 72 These interdependent agent of token’ is appropriate as a means to
concepts, which have everything to do with their explain why, at both ends of their trajectory,
‘translatability’ and ‘understanding’, can help us from production then to consumption today,
to explain why these artistic commodities, such their value is still at a premium. In other words:
as these winter views, are valuable and worthy ‘translation’ has the capacity to enable exchange,
of entering a new phase in their biographies. produce and circulate meaning as value among
visual culture independently of place and time.
Value accruement through translation As hinted at in Chapter 2.5., when thinking of
An unbound and transcultural spot like Canton, ‘translating’ Chinese export paintings, we must
for a long time (1757-1842) the only official consider the act of translation as an interactive
place for yang things (things from across the sea) dynamic. A dynamic that is important for the
certainly left behind marks that lead to a mixed valuation of the unique character of these
visual practice. To reiterate, researching these transcultural artworks. In doing so, we can
winter views requires me to approach them as understand the multifaceted positions of
transcultural commodities, teeming with mixed appraisal that Chinese export paintings have
cultural phenomena, which are translated. along their cultural biographical trajectory at
‘Translated’ in the sense that they represent a different places. Moreover, in the course of time,
dynamic cultural interaction between and within Chinese export paintings might meet processes
conceptual parameters of Western and Chinese that deny their meaningful use value, which
painting conventions. To what extent does the movements can change and reverse again in a
fact they are ‘foreignised’ or ‘translated’ lend renewed use value. This process, as discussed in
value to these paintings? As is known, to some Chapter 2.4., in which I explained the
degree reciprocity of meaning-value (or the mechanisms of a material complex, depends on
denial thereof) occurred at significant moments spatial and temporal aspects with subjective
in the social life of Chinese export paintings. On (human) attitudes towards the paintings. On the
the one hand, production-wise, they were one hand, in the Netherlands, these winter views
meaningful due to successful economic trade in Tartary have been overlooked and ‘frozen’
(commodity/export value). On the other hand, since 1883. On the other hand, contemporary
consumer-wise, they represented a rich palette of developments in China today culminate in these
valuable meaning from the perspective of trading paintings meeting a frantic art market. In
activities. They had a commemorative function, contrast to their decline in meaning for the
albeit subjective and selective, they function as Dutch, in China they are consumed as
information carriers, they are pleasant to look increasingly meaningful and valuable. The
at, and so on. Even though they depicted symbolic meaning that stems from their
imaginary, composed landscapes, most of the connection to early international relations
export winter views faithfully expressed what between Guangzhou and the worldwide
Westerners thought about how harmonious community and, therefore, the role they play in

---
71 Wang 2014-b, 392.
72 Ibid.
73 Liu (ed.) 1999, 14.
74 Ibid., 4.