Understanding the text

Q1. (i) Contrast the Chinese view of art with the European view with examples.
Answer: European art focuses on creating a perfect, illusionistic likeness of a specific scene, like the painter Quinten Metsys’s fly. The goal is for you to see the landscape exactly as the artist did. Chinese art, however, is about capturing the inner essence of a landscape, a spiritual and conceptual space. The painter wants you to enter their mind and travel through the painting, rather than just borrowing their eyes.

(ii) Explain the concept of shanshui.
Answer: Shanshui literally means “mountain-water,” but it’s much more than just a literal description. It represents the two fundamental and complementary poles of the universe: Yang (the mountain, vertical, masculine, stable) and Yin (the water, horizontal, feminine, fluid). The key, however, is the Middle Void, the empty, unpainted space where the interaction between them takes place, representing the crucial space where meditation and action happen.

Q2. (i) What do you understand by the terms ‘outsider art’ and ‘art brut’ or ‘raw art’?
Answer: These terms describe the art of people who have no formal training. It’s considered “raw” because it hasn’t been influenced by traditional artistic conventions. Artists who create this kind of art, like Nek Chand, show great talent and insight even without a professional background.

(ii) Who was the “untutored genius who created a paradise” and what is the nature of his contribution to art?
Answer: That would be Nek Chand, the creator of the Rock Garden in Chandigarh. His contribution to art is his ability to create a beautiful, imaginative paradise using only recycled materials and waste, showing that art can come from anywhere and anyone, not just from formal training and expensive materials.

Talking about the text

Q1. “The Emperor may rule over the territory he has conquered, but only the artist knows the way within.”
Answer: This is a great point! The Emperor’s power is physical; he controls the outside world. But the artist’s power is spiritual and internal. The artist, through their work, can enter a deeper, more profound world that the Emperor’s physical power can’t reach.

Q2. “The landscape is an inner one, a spiritual and conceptual space.”
Answer: This means that a Chinese landscape painting isn’t just a picture of a place; it’s a representation of the artist’s thoughts, feelings, and spirituality. When you look at it, you’re not just seeing a mountain and a river, you’re entering the artist’s mind and connecting with the deep, spiritual concepts they are expressing.

Thinking about language

Q1. Find out the correlates of Yin and Yang in other cultures.
Answer: Many cultures have similar concepts. In Indian philosophy, you have Prakriti (the feminine, natural force) and Purusha (the masculine, cosmic force). In Western thought, you might see it as the mind-body duality or the contrast between chaos and order.

Q2. What is the language spoken in Flanders?
Answer: The main language spoken in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking northern part of Belgium, is Flemish (a variety of Dutch).

Working with words

I. The following common words are used in more than one sense.

1. ‘Panel’
Answer: In these sentences, ‘panel’ means:
(i) A flat, rectangular piece of wood.
(ii) A group of people selected to act as a jury.
(iii) A group of specialists who advise or make decisions.
(iv) A sheet of glass.
(v) A group of people who discuss a topic in front of an audience.
(vi) A removable section of a wall or surface.

2. ‘Essence’
Answer: In these sentences, ‘essence’ means:
(i) The fundamental nature or most important quality.
(ii) The intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of something.
(iii) The crucial or core importance.
(iv) A concentrated liquid flavouring.

II. Five sentences each for the rest of the words.

studio:

1. A painter works in a messy studio. (Artist’s workspace)
2. The dance studio is open for practice. (Room for dance or exercise)
3. The television show is filmed in a large studio. (A room or building for filmmaking or broadcasting)
4. She rented a small studio apartment. (A one-room apartment)
5. They went to a recording studio to lay down the tracks. (A place to record music)

material:

1. The dress was made of a soft, cotton material. (Fabric or raw substance)
2. She gathered her research material for the report. (Information or data)
3. The lecture provided great material for our debate. (Content or subject matter)
4. His acting lacks material, it’s all about looks. (Substance or depth)
5. The builders ordered a new delivery of building material. (Supplies used for construction)

brush:

1. She used a fine brush to paint the details. (A tool for painting or applying)
2. He gave his hair a quick brush before leaving. (The act of brushing)
3. The fox ran through the thick brush to escape. (A dense area of shrubs and bushes)
4. The brush of her hand on his arm was a surprise. (A light, brief touch)
5. She uses a pastry brush to put a glaze on the bread. (A tool for cooking)

Noticing form

Q1. (i) European art tries to achieve a perfect, illusionistic likeness.
(ii) Asian art tries to capture the essence of inner life and spirit.
Answer: Whereas European art tries to achieve a perfect, illusionistic likeness, Asian art tries to capture the essence of inner life and spirit.

Q2. (i) The Emperor commissions a painting and appreciates its outer appearance.
(ii) The artist reveals to him the true meaning of his work.
Answer: The Emperor commissioned a painting and appreciated its outer appearance, but the artist revealed to him the true meaning of his work.

Q3. (i) The Emperor may rule over the territory he has conquered.
(ii) The artist knows the way within.
Answer: Although the Emperor may rule over the territory he has conquered, the artist knows the way within.