Throughout the past years, there has been a great deal of debate over the aesthetics of Imperial China. Whether or not they are worth preserving, and how to properly classify them. Some have argued that they are useless because they are simply propaganda, while others contend that they are beautiful and well-crafted. What is the true answer? The question of whether or not Imperial Aesthetics should be preserved should not be answered with a yes or no, but with a deeper consideration of the historical and social contexts in which these works of art were created.
Classifying
During the colonial period, imperialist states engaged with colonies in diverse ways. In addition to economic dominance, aesthetics was one way these states normalized various forms of colonial dominion. Moreover, aesthetics often reflected the history of political dominance.
During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, aestheTics was a philosophical discourse in Europe. It was a guiding principle in matters of artistic taste and sensibility, as well as social practices. This practice enabled the rejection of other forms of aestheSis. In the process of configuring canon, it legitimized the superiority of European arts.
The concept of aesthetics reflects the values of a culture. It also reflects the aims of culture. In addition to being a tool of social control, aestheTics also regulated taste globally. This is in contrast to the global commonality of artistic techniques, discourses, and practices.
Visuality is a complex system of operations, consisting of intersections between information and imagination. It is used to create material effects, such as color. It is also used to set up oppositions between civilization and primitive, usually in gendered terms.
Throughout the nineteenth century, photography became a popular form of media. Mass reproduction of photographs was possible with the introduction of a half-tone screen in the 1890s. This technology broke up a photograph into a grid of tiny dots and allowed the gradation of tone on the printing plate. This technology became a regular feature in period publications.
Separating
Historically, the aesthetics of empires reflected the history of economic and political dominance. They also served to normalize various forms of colonial rule. For example, the United States used art to enhance its political hegemony. It also used photography to gather information about its new imperial possessions.
The visuality of empires was a complex and multi-pronged endeavor, which in turn required the use of several different strategies. These included visual representations, textual descriptions, and a range of engagements with colonies. These facilitated the production of art and literature and produced a variety of effects.
The most important element was visual representations of the finer things in life. Various forms of eroticization were key to the success of this effort. This was in no small part due to the ubiquity of photographs in period publications. These were often illustrated with textual descriptions to strengthen the case. A well-made photograph was also a significant part of the US's imperial archipelago.
The aestheTics of empires is best understood as a matrix of power. It is not necessarily a coincidence that modern aestheTics regulate sensibilities, while the aforementioned aesthetics are the byproduct of historical processes. Aesthetics was one of the few things a colonial state had to fall back on when it was no longer able to rule on its own. It is also not surprising that aesthetics came into play at the most important moments of empire-building.
Aestheticizing
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the US empire ruled the waves. During that period, the mighty US Navy and the equally valiant bumbling Yankees wreaked havoc on their vassals and colonies alike. Although the United States was never quite as petty as the Spanish Empire, the US Navy did the lion's share of the heavy lifting. The US Navy was also a sexier beast, which is not to say that the females were slackers.
One of the more nebulous and esoteric aspects of the US Empire was its use of aesthetics to further the empire's cause. Aesthetics in the grand scheme of things, including painting the ladies red, white and blue, adorning naval heroes, and a myriad of other less-than-palatable pursuits. In the grand scheme of things, these were not necessarily a bad thing, but for the average naval officer, they were akin to stepping into the lion's den. In the context of the empire, the aforementioned were deemed to be lesser evils. Although a slew of inferior officers was relegated to the dungeon, a smattering of enlightened ones took the high road, or the highway to the stars, if you will. Aesthetics also made a splash in the US academies of the late 1800s and early 1900s. This was particularly true for the US military's naval academies, where the Navy's finest were the recipients of the most affluent in their respective aristocracies.
