Bagyi Aung Soe, “The Little King of Art: Painter Ba Yin Galay” Kyaymon (May 1950), 11-12, 95.
11 In European history, as cameras were not invented before the 19th century, aristocrats and the bourgeoisie paid thousands to commission their portraits. Famous painters [artists] took four or five years to create portraits with such exactitude and detail that they looked like photographs.1 Such painters who could serve the aristocrats and the bourgeoisie were recognised as royal painters. They were hugely rewarded as well. Those who could not serve well and were neglected thus became poor and hungry. Some even died in the pursuit of recognition. Painters mostly became penniless due to such inequality. In the middle of the 19th century, cameras were invented. Being less time-consuming, much cheaper and more accurate than painting with hand, they became popular. Nowadays, cameras can produce not only black-and-white photographs but also colour ones. But European masters “Cezanne, Manet, Sisley” [English]) revolted against the influence of the technical machine with “Impreessionism” [sic]. “Impreessionism” [sic] prefers “Colour” [English] to “Form” [English] and rejects the earlier meticulous style of painting. For example, instead of drawing a leaf, [the impressionists would] draw the whole tree with a single stroke. In these paintings, everything is related, not separated. Although many things can be seen, there is only one subject. Movement is key. Impressionism demands great creativity which is different from using cameras. This is art [painting]. This is the value of art [painting]. Moreover, impressionists made paintings according to their creative impulse. To name but a few, “Van goigh” [sic], “Pavil cezanne” [sic] and “Paulgaugin” [sic], were European masters who promoted their “Individual Style”. 1
Characteristic of usage in the modern period, the Burmese word meaning “painting” is often used to stand for “art”, and likewise “painter” for “artist”. In this article, the original meaning of “painting” and “painter” is favoured. When translated as “art” and “artist”, “[painting]” and “[painter]” in square brackets follows, unless the Burmese word for “art” is used. Bagyi Aung Soe, “The Little King of Art: Painter Ba Yin Galay” Kyaymon (May 1950), 11-12, 95.
1
AungSoeillustrations.org