视像重叠:康乾时代的《西洋剧场图》

Overlapping Images:The Western Theatre Picture in Kangxi-Qianlong Period

康乾时代,中国人就已经知悉西洋剧场的存在及演剧样态,并通过桃花坞版画《西洋剧场图》将之具象化呈现了出来。《西洋剧场图》的范本是威尼斯画派画家卡纳莱托的威尼斯风景画,但在具体的绘制过程中,苏州画师又将其进行了改造,将苏州风景与威尼斯风景结合,并结合了昆曲丑行戏之认知体验,将绘画中的演剧形象,绘制成了有中国戏曲意态的意大利即兴喜剧。在整体效果上,《西洋剧场图》呈现出了重叠着西方和东方、威尼斯和苏州、中国戏曲与西方演剧的复杂视像。由于时代的认知偏差,中华民族错失了文明制度转型的历史机遇,与此同时,中国戏剧也失去了一次难得的现代转型机遇。

During the Kangxi-Qianlong period,Chinese people were already aware of the existence of Western theatre and the performing style,which was presented through the Taohuawu print The Western Theatre Picture.The model of this print is a Venetian landscape painting by Canaletto,a member of the Venetian school.However,during the creation process,Suzhou painters transformed the picture by combining the scenery of Suzhou with that of Venice.In addition,with the cognitive experience of Kunqu opera,they blended Italian improvisational comedy with Chinese drama while painting the characters.In terms of the general effect,The Western Theatre Picture presents complex visual images that overlap with the West and the East,Venice and Suzhou,western performance and Kunqu opera.Because of the cognitive deviation of the times,the Chinese nation missed the historical opportunity to transform its civilization system,and the Chinese drama also missed a rare chance for modern transformation.