Day on the Grand Canal with the Emperor of China, A, Or, Surface is Illustion but So is Depth

Synopsis

David Hockney takes the viewer on a journey along a richly detailed 72ft-long 17th-century Chinese scroll tracing the Emperor Kangxi’s grand tour of his southern domains. Hockney shows how the perspective shifts, enabling us to look over walls and around corners, and compares this approach to the vanishing point in post-Renaissance Western painting with its limited single point of view. He marvels at the skill and precision of the work as we glimpse the lives of people going about their daily routines while preparing for the Emperor to pass by.

Language

English

Country

United States

Medium

Video; Videocassette. VHS. col. 47 min.

Year of production

1988

Availability

Sale; 2000 sale: £12.99 (inclusive)

Subjects

Art

Keywords

China; Hockney, David (1937-; paintings - Chinese; perspective

Credits

Director

Philip Haas

Producer

David Hockney; Philip Haas

Writer

David Hockney

Cast

David Hockney

Distributor

Name

BFI Video

Email

video.films@bfi.org.uk

Web

http://www.bfi.org.uk External site opens in new window

Phone

020 7957 8957

Fax

020 7957 8968

Address

21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN

 

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