Abstract
Duan Lian has offered a semiotic interpretation of the history of landscape painting. He argues that the formation, development, divergence and decline of landscape painting are all conveyed through the form of images. This constitutes an interaction of image symbols from form to concept, providing new perspectives and paradigms for the study of landscape painting and semiotics. However, regarding the transcendence of landscape painting, we contend that Duan Lian's semiotic interpretation of landscape painting cannot fully capture its intrinsic aesthetics and spirit, as this approach may lead to an underestimation and weakening of the artistic essence of landscape painting. Semiotics, rooted in Western culture, emphasizes the search for definite meaning while neglecting the overall sense of meaning and the unique aura of the artwork, which is central to the expression of Chinese landscape painting.
Keywords
landscape painting, semiotics, limitations
First Page
90
Last Page
100
Recommended Citation
Liu, Yiqing, and Zhijie Sun. 2025. "A Semiotic Interpretation of Landscape Painting and Its Limitations: A Focus on Duan Lian." Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art 44, (6): pp.90-100. https://tsla.researchcommons.org/journal/vol44/iss6/10
Included in
Aesthetics Commons, American Studies Commons, Chinese Studies Commons, Classics Commons, Comparative Literature Commons, Film and Media Studies Commons, Modern Literature Commons, Theatre and Performance Studies Commons