Resistance or Compromise: A Comparison of Western Mainstream Painting Language Before and after the Invention of Photographic Technology

Abstract

This paper focuses on the developmental changes in the language of drawing brought about by the invention of the camera. Therefore, this paper takes the time of camera invention as the node. First, we will analyze the common features of the painting language of the famous painting schools before this point in time and the common features of the painting language of the famous painting schools after this point in time. Then we will compare and analyze them to explore the development and evolution of the painting language. Current research on painting before and after the invention of the camera is mostly focused on aesthetic approaches, art criticism, and its influence on popular culture. It adds to the gap in research on the language of painting and provides some insights into the creation and development of today's photography and painting.