Jane Hartley Fine Art

In different cultures and different epochs, knots served as symbols to denote numbers.  Enclosing information into knotted strings became one of the most important cultural techniques in the highly developed Incan culture - comparable to that of other writing cultures. These knotted cords were called "quipus", the Quechua word for "knot".

This is my interpretation of the ancient accounting system employed by the Incas and how they used what are called “quipu” to record quantities and keep track of items.  The quipu is made of up of one main cord with other cords and knots attached. 

The colors of the cords had meaning to distinguish one object from another.  For instance, one cord could represent llamas, while a different cord might represent sheep.  Also, numerical information was often assigned to the position of the knots on the cords. For instance, the corks in the painting signify 123 bottles of wine. 

The ability to read the quipu became a complicated task, so specially trained individuals did this job. They were called Quipucamayoc - in other words - accountants, and they were essential to figuring the tax issues of the day.

The illustrations below are from a 1615 text about quipu titled "The Indian Chronicler" by Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala.  For the archaeologist, Guaman Poma's drawings of native Incan life are like photographs from the past.  

Left: The Incan Yupanqui is interviewing his accountant who is extending the quipu which records what is in his warehouse. 

Right: The chief accountant and treasurer of the kingdom.  The abacus type device in the lower portion was used to perform computations which then transferred to the quipu. 

Below is a photo of a quipu from from Cambridge Mathematics article called "Talking Knots" by Lucy Rycroft-Smith, 12 July 2018.

There are Inca scholars who generally agree that the quipu possibly served as more than just accounting devices or memory aids. They may have been a medium for recording historical information, and they may also have been some sort of writing system.

Auspicious Beginnings is about the birth of a child and all the hope that comes with it.

"There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul

 than the way in which it treats its children."

 - Nelson Mandela

Children have been in the news a lot lately - shouldering the effects of shut down classrooms and stunted future plans to perilous and tragic travels.  This painting makes me think about what most of us want for our children instead of the plight they are being exposed to these days.  

It is why kids need tigers...not coyotes!

SYMBOLISM

In many cultures, the objects chosen for this still life are symbolic of the birth of a child, joy, abundant luck, and protection against evil.

The tiger is considered the king of all animals possessing pride, bravery and fierceness. It is believed that it will protect children from evil. Its animal spirit is thought to offer protection and guidance through life.  The image of a tiger is often incorporated into the baby's clothing, especially hats and shoes.

Red eggs are symbolic traditional gifts presented at a celebration for the birth of a baby in the Chinese culture - and odd number representing a baby boy - an even number for a girl.  Eggs symbolize fertility and the renewal of life, and dyed red they symbolize joy and abundant luck..

The color red is considered lucky, protecting the child from infections and other evils.

The orchid, a symbol of fertility and perfection, is often a popular flower at weddings and baby showers.  As a symbol of fertility, it is believed to encourage the likelihood of producing multiple offspring.

And for over two thousand years, incense has been used to provide fragrance, communicate with the gods, and drive out evil spirits.  Feng shui burns incense to cleanse and remove negative energies.

THE LEGEND - of Three Mornings & Red Eggs

THE LADY & THE WARRIOR is about everlasting, eternal love.  Accompanying the image is the blessing, the legend, and the symbolism.

The Blessing:

To the lamp of love: may it burn brightest in the darkest hours, and never flicker in the winds of trial.

The Legend:

The Legend of the Lady & the Warrior

According to this Chinese legend, a beautiful and courageous woman, Lady Yee, was married to Hsiang Yu, a warrior with Herculean strength.  When Hsiang Yu led his troops into battle, Lady Yee chose to follow him.  She would stand by his side showing her devotion and support. During a long and arduous war, Hsiang's army was surrounded and defeat was imminent.  Lady Yee tried to boost his spirits and lift his sadness by dancing with his sword. 

The petals of the poppy flower reflect her spirit as she danced in the wind with the sword.  When her attempts to ease his sadness failed, Lady Yee committed suicide.  A cluster of poppies sprang in full bloom from her grave site, representing her strong and bright spirit.

The Symbolism:

In the decorative plate from Macao, the spirit of  Lady Yee, along with her lady-in-waiting, are depicted as they gather flowers.  The spirit of the great warrior, Hsiang Wu, is represented by the terra cotta statue.  The now famous clay army of more than 8000 life-size terra cotta figures of soldiers and horses was discovered in 1974 in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, China after they were buried underground for more than 2200 years.  The Terracotta Army is now regarded as the Eighth Wonder of the World. The symbolism of the poppy flower is unique, for it has several meanings.  In this painting, the poppies at his feet symbolize the loyalty and faith between lovers.  Other meanings are associated with sleep and death. Dreaming of a bee flying away can symbolize death, as the bee is the soul; but if it flies into the mouth of the person, that person will come back to life.  The sprays of bittersweet symbolize fidelity, and repel evil.

For hundreds of years throughout China, boys studied diligently in hopes of passing competitive state exams which enabled the Chinese empire to maintain the highest possible standards.  In many cases, this  goal was a journey that took a lifetime, but would enable the boy to bring fame, pride and privilege to his family and village.  This opportunity was available to poor boys as well as wealthy, but at great personal sacrifice, discipline and perseverance.

THE LEGEND Wang Lang's Journey 

The Shaolin Temple in the shadow of Song Mountain was famed for martial arts and known for meditative exercise routines that honed the physical body, energy and the mind together.  Many came to Shaolin with imaginations fired by dreams of becoming an invincible righteous warrior of legend.  One of these students was Wang Lang.  Wang Lang embraced the hardships of physical training and dedicated himself to becoming a master of Shaolin boxing.  During his training he liked to test his skill against his brothers, but he was often beaten and could not find a way to surpass their skill level.  

At the traditional times each year, Wang Lang gathered his belongings, and his bruised ego, and made the trip to his hometown to visit his family.  During one of these trips, Wang Lang relaxed in the meadows near his home. Accustomed to meditation, he sat motionless among the foliage as his eyes were attracted to a nearby struggle between a large cicada and a praying mantis.  He was amazed at what he saw.  The mantis’ forearms were hooked at the ‘wrist’ and bent at the ‘elbow’.  It locked the limbs of the larger cicada and grappled with it by pulling and releasing.  The insects applying techniques for fighting, similar to the martial arts he studied in Shaolin.  Over the next few days Wang Lang captured a mantis and carefully observed its behavior.

When he was ready to return to Shaolin, he wrote down key words to summarize his ideas and the strategies he had taken from the mantis. Back in training he developed and practiced these ideas combining them with the existing techniques to form the basis of Mantis Style Boxing. Eventually he realized his goal and was able to beat his brothers with his higher level of skill and knowledge. Before leaving for home the final time, he set out standard training routines and Mantis Boxing ( now referred to as Kung Fu) was born.

THE SYMBOLISM

The praying mantis is a symbol of meditation and contemplation.  It has long been honored for its mindful movements. The mantis never makes a move unless it is 100% positive that it is the right thing to do. This is a message to us to contemplate and be sure our minds and souls are in agreement about the choices we are making in our lives.

The candle, first a symbol of tradition, then of self-assertion, ultimately comes to symbolize the use of tradition in claiming one’s own identity and power.

A teapot can convey the meaning of "to protect"  or "blessing" because the written characters share the same pronunciation. 

In ancient Chinese culture, the pear is regarded as a symbol of immortality and prosperity due to the fact that pear trees can live for a very long time. The classic 16th century Chinese novel "Journey to the West" is a story about a pear shaped fruit that gives eternal life to those who eat it.

The rose is a symbol of youth, the red color symbolizes luck.

WILD SWANS is about quiet strength and resilience. 

The Blessing:

May you count the garden by the flowers, never by the leaves that fall. And may you count your life with smiles and not the tears that roll.

The Legend:

Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China 

The book Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China is a family history that spans the 20th  century in China, recounting the lives of three female generations.  Written by Jung Chang, it was first published in 1991 and banned in China.  Wild Swans contains the biographies of her grandmother and her mother, and her own autobiography.

Born in 1909, her grandmother was considered a great beauty and her most noted assets were her bound feet, referred to as “three inch golden lilies.  At the age of fifteen, she became the concubine of a warlord general. Her mother, born in 1931, struggled as a young idealistic Communist.  Chang writes of her parents’ experiences as members of the Communist elite and their ordeals during the Cultural Revolution.  And the author, Jung Chang, born in 1952, recounts her own story from her birth in China, growing up as a member of the Red Guard, and moving to Britain in 1978, where she lives today.  Chang is the first person from the People’s Republic of China to receive a doctorate from a British university.

The twentieth century could rightly be called an era of violence in China, and the lives of each of these remarkable and beautiful women were touched by brutality.  Displaying courage and bravery, they survived “a century of disaster” because they are swans, not swallows.  The book won two awards: the 1992 NCR Book Award and the 1993 British Book of the Year.  It has been translated into 30 languages and has sold over 10 million copies.

The Symbolism:

 This story of three generations of incredible women is an unusual window on the female experience in the modern world, and a tale of courage and love.

The peony is the national flower of China and known as “the queen of flowers”.  Peonies are often depicted in Chinese art, as they are an emblem of peace, stability, distinction and wealth.  They also symbolize love, affection and feminine beauty.  White peonies traditionally symbolize young girls who are distinguished mainly by their wit and also by their beauty.

The Grace of the Swan symbolizes love, grace, purity, beauty and sincerity.  It is associated with a saying of Confucius which says, “The little swallows living under the eaves wouldn’t understand the lofty ambitions of a swan who flies far and wide”. The Confucius quote has led to an idiomatic expression in China that means “think big with the lofty ambitions of a swan”.  Chinese people sometimes refer to the “little swallow” as one who does not think “big”, but is, instead, stuck in a rut or leading a mundane life.  Therefore it’s a compliment to be called a swan, but not a swallow.

Ladder To The Clouds explores the little known Chinese custom of accomplishment and achievement which is recognized by mandarin rank squares.  And Treasures of China presents a portrait of a country and civilization that has fascinated outsiders for ages through its arts and achievements.

Having created a collection of paintings about Knots, this caught my eye.  Artists have gathered over 130,000 knots from around the world - each representing a message of personal struggle - for an unusual exhibit which opens on September 3rd at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The installation corresponds to a papal visit on September 26 & 27, and was inspired by one of the Pope's favorite paintings - "Mary, Undoer of Knots", that depicts Mary untangling a long ribbon which symbolizes the smoothing out of life's difficulties.

The original painting by Johann Georg Schmidtner, hangs in a church in Augsburg, Germany.

DIVINE HEALERS is about health and well-being. 

The Blessing:

May God grant you many years to live, for sure He must be knowing the earth has angels all too few and Heaven is overflowing. May you live all the days of your life.

The Legend:

 The Healers: Shen Nong and Kabutogani

Legend has it that in the year 2737 B.C. the Chinese Emperor Shen Nong, known as "The Divine Healer," was boiling water in his garden and a leaf from a camellia bush blew into the pot.  Curious, he tasted the brew, felt wonderfully refreshed and declared it had medicinal powers. "Modern science" verifies what was proclaimed almost 5000 years ago about this simple discovery - that tea does indeed help prevent disease and promote longevity. Through this simple force of the wind, the course of humankind was altered and tea has become the most widely consumed beverage, other than water, throughout the world.

In Japan, the horseshoe crab, kabutogani, has long been legendary.  In ages past, brave warriors who honorably sacrificed their lives in battle were said to be reborn as horseshoe crabs, crossing the sea for eternity; their shells symbolizing the helmets of the samurai warriors.

At the end of the twentieth century, the horseshoe crab finds itself at the center of a tug of war-- of interest to commercial fishermen as bait; to birders as a source of eggs for migrating shorebirds; and especially to biomedical companies for the clotting and antibacterial capacity of its blood.  All attempts to find a man-made substitute for horseshoe crab blood have failed miserably, and crabs are now being raised and nurtured by scientists.  Dr. Jim Berkson of the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences at Virginia Tech says "Horseshoe crabs are ecologically, economically, and medically essential.

If you have ever taken a prescription pill, gotten an immunization, had a hip or knee replacement, had an IV, or received an organ transplant, you can thank the horseshoe crab.

The Symbolism:

The stoneware represents the Japanese tea ceremony, also called "The Way of Tea" which developed as a "transformative practice" preventing disease and promoting longevity.  This stoneware differed in appearance from the subtle perfection of the Chinese wares and exhibited its own aesthetic, in particular that of "wabi-sabi".  The stoneware in this painting is reminiscent of the olive or brown glazed stonewares of the late Kamakura Period (A.D. 1186 - 1333), and another type called Shino, which used opaque, bubbly, pale cinnamon glazes enlivened by natural orange-brown burns from the kiln fires.  Over the years, kilns in various regions continued to produce their monochrome brown, olive and unglazed biscuit wares in shapes appropriate to the tea ceremony. 

The characteristics of the wabi-sabi aesthetic include roughness or irregularity, simplicity, economy, austerity, modesty, intimacy and appreciation of the inherent integrity of natural objects and processes.  In today's Japan, the meaning of wabi sabi is often condensed to ″wisdom in natural simplicity.″  In art books, it is typically defined as ″flawed beauty.″

In Japan, the horseshoe crab is associated with the brave warriors of ages past, who sacrificed their lives for others.  This ancient mariner’s lineage stretches back nearly 400 million years and is highly valued today for being instrumental in scientific research and human health.

TAO QIAN'S WILLOW BRANCHES  is about creativity and inspiration.  The painting is shown here along with it's blessing, legend and explanation of the symbolism.

The Blessing:

May you cherish your vision and your dreams as they are the children of your soul; the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.

The Legend: 

Tao Qian, Poet of Reclusion

Tao Qian (365-427) also known as Tao Yuan-ming, was one of the most influential pre-Tang Dynasty Chinese poets.  The garden of this famous poet contained five willows which were featured not only in his poetry, but also in artistic representations of the idyllic retired life.  He came from a notable and well educated family which descended into poverty, leaving him torn between ambition and a desire to retreat into solitude.  His great-grandfather was the famous Eastern Jin Dynasty general and governor, "Tao Kan". 

After serving minor posts in the Jin Court and the death of his sister, Tao Qian's disgust with the corruption and infighting of the Jin Court led him to resign.  His experiences convinced him that life was too short to compromise his principles, so he went on to live in retirement for his last 22 years.  Approximately 130 of his works survive.  Most of his poems and essays depict a bucolic pastoral life of farming and drinking, which earned him a nickname  “Poet of the Fields”.   His autobiographical work  titled “Biography of the Gentleman of the Five Willows” is referred to as a stylized tour de force. 

While his poems were not popular in his time, they would later become a major influence on the poetry of the Tang and Song Dynasties. 

The Symbolism: 

The willow has always been associated with the life of scholars, artists and poets, who would stroll among them along the rivers and lakes where the tree grows, seeking inspiration.  One of the most influential pre-Tang Dynasty poets, Tao Qian, had willows in his garden which he featured in his poetry. To the Chinese, the willow also symbolizes vitality and strength and was believed to possess magic powers.  Sprigs and branches are sometimes placed by doorways of homes to protect them.  It was also said that branches were picked and presented to friends prior to leaving for distant lands to signify close friendship and a safe trip.

The pear tree is very long-lived, and has been known to bear fruit when 300 years old.  Hence, the pear is one of the emblems of longevity.

Grapes were introduced to China around 126 BC by Minister Zhang Qian upon his return from the Indo- Scythians.  They signify wealth, abundance, and fertility.

The butterfly signifies long life, along with beauty and elegance.