Landscape of the Soul Question and Answer Class 11 English Ch 4 is prepared for students to help them obtain the best marks in the Exam.
Landscape of the Soul Question and Answer
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Page 34
Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the context.
Anecdote : A brief and engaging tale about an actual event or individual.
delicate realism : Exactly true to life and detailed.
figurative painting : representing by means of a figure or symbol in the painting.
illusionistic likeness : a similarity which is almost real.
conceptual space : an abstract idea of a space.
UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT
Q1. i) Contrast the Chinese view of art with the European view with examples.
Answer: Chinese art focuses more on imagination, inner feelings, or spirituality, while European art shows a realistic view of the physical world.
For example, Wu Daozi, a famous painter from the 8th century, made a landscape painting for the Tang Emperor Xuanzong. He hid the painting behind a screen so only the Emperor could see it.
In contrast, the idea of ‘art brut’ refers to art made by people who are not considered professional artists.
(ii) Explain the concept of shanshui.
Answer: In China, artists don’t just paint what they see but use their inner feelings and imagination to create abstract art. Viewers can enter the painting from any point and let their own imagination guide them. This idea is called ‘Shanshui,’ which means ‘mountain water.’ Together, these words mean ‘landscape.’
In Shanshui art, mountains and water represent two important aspects of nature. The mountain stands for Yang: it is tall, stable, and reaches towards the sky. The water represents Yin: it is horizontal, flowing, and cool. These two elements show the balance between different forces in the universe, reflecting the Daoist view of harmony.
2. (i) What do you understand by the terms outsider art and ‘art brut’ or ‘raw art’?
Answer: ‘Art brut,’ or ‘raw art,’ refers to art made from everyday materials without following traditional cultural or artistic rules. Anything from a tin can to a broken car can become art. Nek Chand is a great example of this, taking these ideas to an amazing level.
Nek Chand’s work is recognized as a powerful example of how one person can make a big difference by following their dreams. To honor him, the Swiss Commission for UNESCO will showcase his art in a European exhibition called ‘Realm of Nek Chand.’ This five-month interactive show, starting in October, will be held at top museums in Switzerland, Belgium, France, and Italy. Nek Chand says, “The best reward is seeing people enjoy my creation as they walk through the garden.”
(ii) Who was the “untutored genius who created a paradise” and what is the nature of his contribution to art?
Answer: Nek Chand, from Chandigarh, India, took ‘raw art’ to an amazing level. Many years ago, he created the ‘Rock Garden’ using stones, broken dishes, and recycled materials. His work is a very creative example of ‘raw art.’ Nek Chand’s art shows how one person can make a big impact by following their dreams.
Landscape of the Soul Question and Answer Class 11 Ch 4
TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT
Discuss the following statements in groups of four.
1. “The Emperor may rule over the territory he has conquered, but only the artist knows the way within.”
Answer: This sentence means that even though an Emperor may rule over a vast kingdom, only an artist can see beyond the surface of things. An artist understands both the way and the mystery of how the universe works.
2. “The landscape is an inner one, a spiritual and conceptual space.”
Answer: The sentence shows that Chinese artists want viewers to see their paintings from every angle, not just with their eyes but with their minds. This helps viewers understand the deeper meaning and spirit of the painting. The artwork is like a landscape that you can explore from any point, and it isn’t meant to be a real place but a journey through the artist’s imagination.
THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE
1. Find out the correlates of Yin and Yang in other cultures.
Ans: Students should talk with their teachers and answer based on the cultural context of the location.
2. What is the language spoken in Flanders?
Ans. Dutch is spoken in Flanders.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
1. Was Quinten Metsys able to marry his love of life? Explain how.
Answer: Yes, he managed to marry the love of his life. The father didn’t like him because of his job. The blacksmith secretly went into the painter’s studio and painted a fly on the painter’s latest work. The fly looked so real that the painter tried to swat it before realizing it was just a painting. Impressed, the painter took him on as a trainee. The blacksmith married the painter’s daughter and later became a well-known painter himself.
2. Describe the tale of the old painter Wu Daozi?
Answer: The first story is about Wu Daozi, a famous Chinese painter from the 8th century. He was hired by the Tang Emperor Xuanzong to decorate a palace wall.
Wu Daozi painted a beautiful scene with mountains, waterfalls, forests, clouds, and happy people. He also painted a cave at the foot of a mountain where a spirit lived. The painting was hidden behind a screen so only the Emperor could see it. Wu Daozi told the Emperor that a spirit lived in the cave and clapped his hands to open the cave’s entrance. He said it was an amazing place and invited the Emperor to see it.
When the Emperor tried to follow, the cave entrance closed, and the painting disappeared from the wall. Wu Daozi and his paintings were never seen again.
3. What do you mean by Shanghai?
Answer: The idea is called shanshui, which means ‘mountain water’ and together means ‘landscape’. It shows two different but complementary elements that reflect the Daoist view of the universe. The mountain represents Yang—standing tall, stable, warm, and dry. The water represents Yin—horizontal, flowing, cool, and moist. Yin and Yang are key concepts in Daoism, with Yin being the receptive, feminine side, and Yang being the active, masculine side.
4. What does the author say on Western painting?
Answer: A traditional Chinese landscape painting doesn’t show a real scene as Western art does. While European artists want you to see a landscape exactly as they saw it from one angle, Chinese artists don’t choose a single viewpoint. Instead, their landscapes aren’t meant to be real places. You can start looking at the painting from any point and explore it in any direction, following a path the artist created for you to wander around in a relaxed way.
5. What happened when Wu Daozi clapped his hands?
Answer: The painter went into the cave, and the entrance shut behind him. When he clapped his hands, the painting on the wall and the painter himself vanished.
6. Who was Wu Daozi?
Ans:- Wu Daozi was a painter who flourished in the 8th century and was commissioned by the then-emperor Xuangxon to create a landscape picture.
7. What is the Chinese interpretation of Art?
Ans:- In early times Chinese art often served as a means to submit to the will of heaven through ritual and sacrifice. The aim of the traditional Chinese painter: is to capture not only the outer appearance of a subject but its inner essence as well as its energy, life force, and spirit. Symbolism Found in Chinese Art Revealed. Each culture has its own visual language that communicates wishes for good fortune and moral values.
