Castiglione's paintings meet modern interactive art

At the age of 26, Castiglione began his journey east to start working as a court painter for the Qing imperial household.Taobao agent

The museum's new exhibition - 'Portrayals from a Brush Divine' - celebrates the work of the Italian Jesuit who painted for three Chinese emperors over a period of 51 years.
The Palace Museum in Taipei explores the artistic legacy of the Italian Jesuit who became a court painter for China's Qing Dynasty.
It's like stepping into a time machine. The museum's new exhibition - 'Portrayals from a Brush Divine' - celebrates the work of the Italian Jesuit who painted for three Chinese emperors over a period of 51 years.
Castiglione studied painting and joined the Jesuit society in Genoa at the age of 19. At the age of 26, he began his journey east to start working as a court painter for the Qing imperial household.

The exhibition marks 300 years since he first arrived in China in 1715.
"When his painting style began to emerge during Emperor Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty, they named his style "a new model of academic painting". It was considered a new style. He used it to record and paint many important events that Emperor Qianlong attended, for example, the painting of Qianlong at a hunting party at the Mulan ground," said Lina Lin, Department of Painting and Calligraphy.
Over the course of five decades, Castiglione nurtured two careers, one as a Catholic missionary, the other as a Chinese court painter.
He blended painting techniques to suit his patron's tastes of Chinese-style painting while applying subtle hints of Western art. That includes his masterful approach to light and shadow.
"He was good in using lots of colours, and that had a significant influence. He didn't put too much emphasis on individual objects, but his paintings have good gradation of colour, and they look more three dimensional," Lina Lin said.
As a showcase for Taiwan's advanced computer industry, the museum has also incorporated up-to-date, Castiglione-influenced, digital art installations in the exhibition.
Various Castiglione paintings are reinterpreted through animation and interactive elements - horses, swallows, peacocks come alive. Visitors can even add their own elements to a Castiglione classic.
"You can pick the horse you want to paint and choose the pen tool you want from the animation system. When you finish the painting, then you can send it to the screen. And you will be able to see the horse you have painted in the painting," said Heish Chun-Ko, senior officer of Taipei Palace Museum.China Ebay

'Portrayals From a Brush Divine' will run at Taipei's Palace Museum until January 2016.