2025 № 2 (53)
The Practice of ‘Substitute Brush’ in Chinese Art Culture
UDC 7.061
LBC 85.143
DOI: 10.51678/2226-0072-2025-2-334-359
For cit.: Odinokova P.S. The Practice of ‘Substitute Brush’ in Chinese Art Culture. Hudozhestvennaya kul’tura [Art & Culture Studies], 2025, no. 2, pp. 334–359. https://doi.org/10.51678/2226-0072-2025-2-334-359. (In Russian)
Odinokova Polina S.
PhD (in Art History), Senior Researcher, Eastern Art Department, Research Institute of the Theory and History of Fine Arts, Russian Academy of Arts, 21 Prechistenka Str., Moscow, 119034, Russia
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7945-8353
ResearcherID: MEP-8734-2025
The Practice of ‘Substitute Brush’ in Chinese Art Culture
Abstract. Even though Chinese artists sometimes entrusted doing calligraphy or painting to their disciples, apprentices, close family members or friends, those artworks were still considered original works of authorship. Such practice was named ‘substitute brush’ (daibi, 代筆). The first mention of ‘substitute brush’ dates back to the 4th century, and its popularity reached the peak during the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties. The article outlines the panorama of ‘substitute brush’ use up until the beginning of the 20th century, which allows forming a view of the diversity and scale of this phenomenon and understanding the masters’ motives. The article considers the features of examination and attribution of works by artists who resorted to ‘substitute brush’ and addresses the issues of artistic value and creative potential. Particular attention is paid to the problem of ‘substitute brush’ in the art of the famous Qing dynasty master Shitao (1642–1707), which still remains controversial.
Keywords: Chinese traditional painting, ‘substitute brush’, daibi, issues of authenticity, attribution, Shitao
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Received 16.01.2025
Accepted 28.03.2025
