NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English
Landscape of the Soul NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Hornbill Chapter 4
Landscape of the Soul NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers
Landscape of the Soul About the Author
Nathalie Trouveroy is an art historian who came in limelight because of her translated work ‘ City of Djinns’, a book by William Dalrymple. She has travelled various cities of the world. She holds a Master’s degree in history of art and archaeology from the university of Belgium.
Landscape of the Soul Main Theme
The author Nathalie Trouveroy, an art expert from Flanders (Holland), writes about the essential difference between Eastern and Western paintings. She illustrates the difference by anecdotes from China and Flanders. The eighth century Chinese painter Wu Daozi says to the Emperor, “Let me show Your Majesty the way”, or “Dao”, a word which means both the path or the method, and the mysterious works of the universe.
A Chinese painting is not factual; it does not represent an actual view as a Western figurative painting does. It has a dimension of time. The viewer can ‘enter’ the painting and thereby the artist’s mind. The landscape is an inner one having spiritual and conceptual space.
This concept is known as shanshui meaning ‘mountain water’. The mountain stands for yang—rising vertically towards heaven. It is stable, warm and dry in the sun and masculine. Water is yin—horizontal and resting on the earth, fluid, moist, cool and feminine. Their interaction is a fundamental notion of Daoism. In between, there is the Middle Void where the interaction between Yang and Yin takes place. The white unpainted space in Chinese landscape represents the Middle Void. The Middle Void is Man’s space. He is the conduit of communication between both poles of the universe. His presence is essential.
Landscape of the Soul Understanding the text
Question 1.
(i) Contrast the Chinese view of art with the European view with examples.
Answer:
The Chinese view of art is quite different from the European view. He does not paint a landscape from one point of view only. He invites the viewer to participate in his landscape both physically and mentally.
(ii) Explain the concept of shanshui.
Answer:
The Chinese painter brings out the concept of Shanshui in his work. Literally it means mountain and water. The mountain is symbolic of the male and the water is symbolic of the female element in creation. This is the fundamental notion of ‘Daoism’. In between there is the Middle Void where their interaction takes place and is also the space for Man. Thus the Chinese painter’s landscape has a spiritual character.
Question 2.
(i) What do you understand by the terms ‘outsider art’ and ‘art brut’ or ‘raw art’?
Answer:
Outside art is created by those who have not received any formal training in yet their work exhibits excellence. 80-year old, creator-director Nek Chand of Chandigarh was an exponent of ‘art brut’. The Rock Garden of Chandigarh which is his creation, a masterpiece of sculpture, of stone and recycled material shows his ingenuity at its best. He is globally honoured. “Raw Vision”, a UK-based magazine featured Nek Chand and his Rock Garden collection. There were shows hosted and one particular interactive show “Realm of Nek Chand” was held at leading museums in Switzerland, Belgium, France and Italy in his honour. Nek Chand had no formal training in art. Therefore his art is called ‘Outsider Art’ or ‘Art brut’.
(ii) Who was the untutored genius who created a paradise and what is his contribution to art?
Answer:
Nek Chand was an untrained artist who created a paradise The Rock Garden of Chandigarh which is his biggest contribution to ‘outside art’. His work received world-wide recognition. The fiftieth issue (spring 2005) of Raw Vision, a UK-based magazine known as pioneers to ‘outside art’ publications featured his The Rock Garden sculpture “Women by the waterfall” on its anniversary issue’s cover.
The Rock Garden in Chandigarh is a work of art sculpted with stones, any material from a tin to a sink to a broken down car which Nek Chand made into a masterpiece—his biggest contribution to the world of ‘outside art’.
Landscape of the Soul Talking About the Text
Discuss the following statements in groups of four.
Question 1.
“The Emperor may rule over the territory he has conquered, but only the artist knows the way within.”
Answer:
The Emperor may pay for a work of art and own it but he can truly appreciate it only when the artist shows him the inner meaning. This is the Chinese way of creating art.
The points of discussion may be
- What does the painting show?
- Is it realistic, imaginative?
- With what purpose did the artist create it?
- How is the onlooker to appreciate it.
Question 2.
“The landscape is an inner one, a spiritual and conceptual space.”
Answer:
The Chinese painter’s landscape is not life like, it is not meant to reproduce an actual view. It is created from several points of view as he has not chosen a single viewpoint. The viewer can enter it from any point and then travel in it. It requires the active participation of the viewer who has to decide at what pace, he will travel through the painting—a participation that is physical as well as mental. This is what is the artist’s creation—leaving spaces for the viewer to interpret his art work from his own perspective. The landscape thus is an inner one, a spiritual and conceptual space.
Landscape of the Soul Thinking about language
Question 1.
Find out the correlates of Y in and Yang in other cultures.
Answer:
Prakriti and Purush in Sanskrit are the equivalent of yin and yang respectively.
Question 2.
What is the language spoken in Flanders?
Answer:
Flemish—a dialect of Dutch spoken in Flanders, a region in Belgium’.
Working with words
I. The following common words are used in more than one sense:
| panel | studio | brush | essence | material |
Examine the following sets of sentences to find out what the words ‘panel’ and ‘essence’ mean in different contexts.
Question 1.
(i) The masks from Bawa village in Mali look like long panels of decorated wood.
(ii) Judge H. Hobart Grooms told the jury panel he had heard the reports.
(iii) The panel is laying the groundwork for an international treaty.
(iv) The glass panels of the window were broken.
(v) Through the many round tables, workshops and panel discussions, a consensus was reached.
(vi) The sink in the hinged panel above the bunk drains into the head.
Question 2.
(i) Their repetitive structure must have taught the people around the great composer the essence of music.
(ii) Part of the answer is in the proposition; but the essence is in the meaning.
(iii) The implications of these schools of thought are of practical essence for the teacher.
(iv) They had added vanilla essence to the pudding.
II. Now find five sentences each for the rest of the words to show the different senses in which each of them is used.
Answer:
studio
- A place where artists, photographers do their creative work is a studio
- A studio must have good light and open space — work space
- A film studio may contain many sets — film making area
- A studio apartment is rather small — a dwelling unit.
- A studio portrait photo is usually better than one taken casually — a photo taken in a studio.
brush
- Artists prefer brushes of sable hair — tools for painting
- he had a close brush with death as he came out safe out of the accident — encounter
- some parts of the desert are covered with brush — small brushes
- You need a brush to clean the carpet — a cleaning tool
- Please brush up your memory — renew your memory
material
- We need some cement and other material for construction—cement etc required for construction
- The material of your dress is really fine — cloth for dress making
- Human beings are very attached to their material possession — worldly
- His new job has contributed significantly to their material well being — bodily comfort
- Uranium is an essential raw material for atomic energy — fessential constituent part
Noticing form
- A classical Chinese landscape is not meant to reproduce an actual view, as would a Western figurative painting.
- Whereas the European painter wants you to borrow his eyes and look at a particular landscape exactly as he saw it, from a specific angle, the Chinese painter does not choose a single viewpoint.
The above two examples are ways in which contrast may be expressed. - Combine the following sets of ideas to show the contrast between them.
(a)
- European art tries to achieve a perfect, illusionistic likeness.
- Asian art tries to capture the essence of inner life and spirit.
(b)
- The Emperor commissions a painting and appreciates its outer appearance.
- The artist reveals to him the true meaning of his work.
(a) European art tries to achieve a perfect, illusionistic likeness, whereas Asian art tries to capture the essence of inner life and spirit.
(b) The Emperor commissions a painting and appreciates its outer appearance, whereas the European artist reveals to him the true meaning of his work.
Landscape of the Soul Things to do
Question 1.
Find out about as many Indian schools of painting as you can. Write a short note on the distinctive features of each school.
Answer:
To be done by the student.
Question 2.
Find out about experiments in recycling that help in environmental conservation.
Answer:
To be done by the student.