He also patronized [[Giuseppe Castiglione]], an Italian [[Society of Jesus|Jesuit]] missionary and artist, appointing him court painter, and encouraging experimentation with incorporating Western artistic techniques (e.g. perspective, realistic light & shadow, realistic detail) into traditional Chinese painting. He commissioned Castiglione in [[1737]] to design a number of pavilions for the Imperial gardens; with the help of other Jesuit artists, architects, and the like, he saw the [[Yuanmingyuan]] (aka the Old Summer Palace) built in [[1747]]-[[1759]]. | He also patronized [[Giuseppe Castiglione]], an Italian [[Society of Jesus|Jesuit]] missionary and artist, appointing him court painter, and encouraging experimentation with incorporating Western artistic techniques (e.g. perspective, realistic light & shadow, realistic detail) into traditional Chinese painting. He commissioned Castiglione in [[1737]] to design a number of pavilions for the Imperial gardens; with the help of other Jesuit artists, architects, and the like, he saw the [[Yuanmingyuan]] (aka the Old Summer Palace) built in [[1747]]-[[1759]]. |