Chinese painting and calligraphy has a long history.
Chinese characters evolved from pictures and signs, and the Chinese art of calligraphy developed naturally from its unique writing system. Through the ages, great calligraphers developed representative calligraphic styles of their times.
The roots of Chinese painting can be traced back to paintings on Neolithic pottery six or seven thousand years ago. Since similar tools and lines were used for the earliest painting and writing, painting is said to have the same origin as calligraphy. Thus, Chinese paintings usually integrate poetry or calligraphy with themes that include figures, landscapes, flowers, birds and other animals.
Chinese Artwork Auction
The values of Chinese antiques are rising even outside the country's own art market, which is now second only to the U.S. A Qianlongdynasty scroll painting sold in March in France, for a record 22.1 million euros ($31 million), the latest in a series of big- ticket auction prices pledged by Asian bidders keen to buy back China's heritage.
