| If you found that you had a difficult time differentiating among the different styles over a 500 year time span crossing several dynasties, it is because the style of funeral pieces changed slowly. These were not produced as art per se, but as ritual objects. The style that the family expected was defined by tradition, not by the current fashion. This is a characteristic of Chinese art and architecture, where the function is as much or more astrological, symbolic and ritualistic as it is decorative. The great break with this style came in the Tang Dynasty when the development of the tri-colored glaze technique and new art and paintings came from western lands revolutionized both 3-dimensional arts and painting. |
