摘要
在照相技术尚未诞生的年代,宫廷养着一大批画家,用来记录宫廷生活和国家大事的方方面面。今天所见的清代宫廷画家作品中,就有相当一部分属于大命题、主旋律的创作。事实上,这正是宫廷画家们最重要的工作之一:记录下阅兵、出巡、祭祀、盛典甚至战争的图景,留给后世回望、瞻仰。譬如阅兵,今天需要由照相机和摄影机记录一切的场景,在清代,则由宫廷画家充当摄录的角色。
Before photography was invented, the court painters used to record royal life and various events of the nation. It was one of the most important tasks of them to record the significant events such as military parade, sacrificial ceremony, and even wars with their brushes. The Grand Military Review by Emperor Qianlong, drew by court painter Giuseppe Castiglione, was an excellent representative of these paintings. It depicted the strong solders and sturdy horses under Emperor Qianlong’s rule. Military strength is one of the most important parts of overall national strength. In modern days, technology made it possible to record the scenes of a military parade in details;back in the days without such technology, a panoramic yet meticulous depiction could deliver the same visual impact.
