Lesson 149

Japanese Painting

1 Previous to the introduction of Buddhism the art of painting in Japan had made but little progress. It was from China that Japan derived her first great inspiration in art, along with her first lessons in Buddhism, and naturally, therefore, her first efforts in art were of a religious nature,

Japanese painting entered upon a stage of great development in the Heian Period (784-1192), A notable development of the period was the progress made by secular art as distinguished from religious painting. This may be seen in the NISE-E or portraits and in the scrolls illustrating stories (EMAKIMONO), One of the most celebrated of the latter is the series by Takayoshi, illustrating the GENJI MONOGATARI, a novel written by Murasaki Shikibu, a celebrated authoress of the Heian Period, The demand for landscape paintings grew in the Heian Period and many scenes from nature were painted on the sliding doors of the Imperial Palace and on folding screens. The decline of Chinese influence during the period is also to be noted.

the development of Japanese art culminating in the Kamakura Period in the creation of a purely Japanese style (YAMATO-E) in contradistinction to the Chinese style (KARAE).

The Kamakura Period (1192-1333) may be regarded as an extension of the Heian Period, with its technique polished and refined. Both the secular and religious paintings of this period show an improvement in artistic quality, and the Japanese style gradually came to perfection.

1 The middle of the Kamakura Period had already seen the rise of the Chinese style, and, in the Muromachi Period (1333-1573), it was in a flourishing condition, side by side with the Tosa school, which was producing great masters like Yukimitsu, Yukihiro, and Mitsunobu. But Mitsunobu was the last of the masters of YAMATO-E, for from that time this style began to decline.

SUMI-E, the delicate style of brush painting with black ink, was developed in the Muromachi Period (1333-1573), It originated with the Buddhists of the Zen sect who were familiar with the art of the Chinese Ming Dynasty.

1 The Momoyama Period (1573-1603), which followed, was a time of transition. It was also a period of great artistic sophistication. Artists expressed themselves in bright colors and elaborate designs. Gorgeous folding screens were introduced.

The Ukiyo-e school first made its appearance in the early days of the Edo Period (1603-1867). It aimed at depicting the social life of the day, particularly of the lower classes. It is somewhat different from the so-called genre pictures which had been in vogue much earlier, being principally the work of artists of the YAMATO-E school, who were fond of painting historic scenes. The genre pictures were intended for the delectation of the upper strata of society, not for the populace. The Ukiyoe school, on the other hand, aimed at providing scenes of daily life for the lower classes in the form, at first, of illustrations for story books, and later of independent prints.

It is indeed difficult to select any single individual as the originator of Ukiyo-e, but Hishikawa

Moronobu, who appeared in the Genroku age (1688-1703), was the first great master who contributed to the development of the Ukiyo-e school. Most of Moronobu’s pictures were drawn for engraving on wood-blocks, but he also left some excellent paintings, an examination of which makes it clear that he must have first studied the Tosa and Kanoo styles before working out his own style. As the production of color-prints progressed, Ukiyo-e grew more popular, especially in Edo. Suzuki Harunobu (1724-1770) specialized in the production of Azuma Nishikie, and after him came Kitagawa Utamaro, Saitoo Sharaku, Utagawa Toyokuni, Katsushika Hokusai, and Andoo Hiroshige, all of whom won great popularity for their color-prints.

Sculpture

The art of sculpture in Japan, previous to the Meiji Era, was practically confined to the carving of Buddhist images, although images of national deities and portrait statuary were occasionally produced. The powerful influence which Buddhism had begun to exercise is shown by the specimens of sculpture in the Nara Period (710-784)

2 that have come down to the present time. Foremost among the excellent works of the period is the colossal figure of Buddha in the Toodaiji Temple at Nara, known as the “Nara no Daibutsu,” a work which was completed in 749 A.D.

Japanese sculpture made a fair growth in the Nara and Heian Period, but it attained its highest realistic development in technique in the Kamakura Period, when it freed itself from Chinese influence. The age produced many great sculptors, Unkei, Kaikei, and Tankei being most influential. The Nioo (two Deva Kings) who guard the Nandaimon Gate of the Toodaiji Temple are said to be the joint productions of Unkei and Kaikei.

Much progress was also made in the art of casting bronze images. The Great Buddha of Kamakura is eloquent proof of this fact.

The Kamakura Period may be regarded as the golden age of the art of sculpture in Japan, and practically no further development in this field was found later. The Muromachi period which followed witnessed the rise of the Zen-shuu sect of Buddhism, which does not attach so much

2 importance to the production of fine images as the other sects. It was natural, therefore, that religious sculpture should fall into decay, a decay which continued into the Momoyama and Edo Period, when the only activity in this form of art was the carving of masks for the Noh drama.

2 However, for the decline of religious sculpture after the Muromachi Period there was some compensation in the rise of decorative sculpture for architectural purposes. The handsome palaces built in the period brought into being what was known as “temple carving," this being the carving of human figures, birds, animals, flowers, etc., in the form of pictorial designs. Among the temple carvers; Hidari Jingoroo is most popular.

The sculptural art during the Edo Period was in the hands of mere craftsmen and not of artists in the strict sense of the term. With the advent of the Meiji Era came a turning point in the history of Japanese sculpture which resulted from the introduction of Western-style technique, the invitation of able Western artists and various other factors.

Guide for Free Conversation and Exercise

1 Topics;

a Talk about the following topics in Japanese with your classmates.

(1) Japanese paintings and drawings.

(2) Japanese sculpture.

(3) Japanese architecture.

2 Exercises;

a Interpretation Exercise.

(1) What is the oldest wooden structure in the world?

(1) 法隆寺が 世界最古の 木造建築物と されています。

(2) What developed after Buddhism was introduced to Japan?

(2) 寺院、仏閣の 建立が 発達しました。

(3) When did the black and white drawing attain the highest stage of prosperity?

(3) それは 十四世紀にはいってからです。

(4) What kind of drawing is Ukiyoe?

(4) 庶民の 生活や 風俗、俳優の 姿、風景などを 豊かな 色彩を もって えがいたものです。

(5) Who was famous for thirty-six scenes of Mt. Fuji?

(5) 富嶽三十六景で 有名なのは 北斎でした。

Homework

1 Study the Narration thoroughly and memorize the vocabulary.

2 Read the Guide for Free Conversation and do the exercises given.

3 Learn to read and write the new Kanji.

4 Read the Cultural Notes