2. Hstory

I would like to explain the history of Japanese painting in this week.
I will introduce about change and establishment of works of Japanese painting today. So let’s see them from the Heian period to Modern period.

Heian Period / Yamato-e(大和絵)

scroll picture of The Tale of Genji (源氏物語絵巻（東屋）)

In 894, Japan has cut off diplomatic relations with China. Japan has created original culture. Japanese Painting left the influence of China has made original developments. Yamato-e that draw landscapes and customs of Japan was established for as against Kara-e(Chinese painting). Yamato-e has fine lines and delicate expression. It is characteristic of Yamato-e.

Kamakura Period / Portrait

painting attributed toYoritomo Minamoto

 (伝源頼朝像)

  In Kamakura period, realistic portrait appeared. During this period, the samurai class has emerged in Japan. They demonstrated their own sense of beauty and they have made culture of the samurai class. (It was the nobility culture until then.) What is particularly portrait will also say to symbolize the Kamakura period. Of course, Japanese artist draw portrait until then, but the portrait of Kamakura period was more realistic. So it was seen differences of consciousness for human.

  

Muromachi Period / Ink painting

Landscape (autumn and winter)/Sesshu
(「秋冬山水図」/雪舟)

Politics and society has remarkable change in Muromachi period. There were changes as art too. Culture of the samurai class and the nobility has united. And Japan began to incorporate the Chinese art again. Ink painting became prime was heyday. Flowers and birds painting and portrait were drawn on Japanese ink painting of the 14th century. Landscape paintings were drawn in earnest in Japan in the 15th century. As the center of art in Japan was dilapidated, artists who played an active part in the provinces were to expand the possibilities of Japanese ink painting.

Azuchi-Momoyama Period / Wall painting

The Lions / Eitoku Kano

(唐獅子図屏風/狩野永徳)

Azuchi Momoyama period was period of extreme change of government. In such a time, people who ruled over the whole Japan decorated the interior of the castle as a symbol of power. Their representative pictures were wall paintings. The image is “The Lions(Karajishi-zu byobu).” It was painted by Eitoku Kano. His large-minded touch and bold composition is different from Yamato-e.

Edo Period / Ukiyo-e

fifty-three stages on the Tokaido Urahara / Hiroshige Utagawa
(東海道五十三次　浦原 / 歌川広重)

During the Edo period, prints that were illustrations of the novel became the piece of picture and ukiyo-e. They were originally one color ink printing, but it changed multicolor printing. Ukiyo-e has replaced the media of the masses of Edo. Landscape painting and news painting. And many portraits have been drawn.

Modern Meiji-era / Japanese painting

You / Yasushi Sugiyama

(曜 / 杉山寧)

Please see the blog “1. Introduction Japanese painting” It has more details about how Japanese paintings have been established.
Young artists who valued individuality and freedom in Japanese painting appeared in Meiji period.They began to draw their inner. A new Japanese painting that was not bound by traditional painting came into existence.






I introduced rough history of Japanese painting. Japanese painting has characteristic in each period. It is very attractive. Traditional technologies that came into existence in long history were taken over today, which support modern Japanese painting.

Did you understand history of Japanese history? Please ask me if there is something that you didn’t understand.
Next week, I’m going to write about original materials of Japanese painting. Japanese painting has a lot of them. It is very interesting. Also, I would like to introduce name of them and simple explanation of how to use. Please look forward to next week. See you (^ω^)!


reference data: 「すぐわかる日本の美術」田中日佐夫

1.Introduction Japanese painting

“The Great Wave off Kanagawa”Hokusai Katsushika

Do you know the Japanese paintings? If I asked you Japanese painting, most people would think Japanese painting is only Ukiyo-e. (like this picture)
 Japanese painting is rarely taught in the ordinary art classes up to high school level, apart from in specialized art schools. This is because the painting materials are expensive and it is difficult to employ specialized teachers. It is the present conditions that the Japanese painting is not known by such a reason though it has long history.
 In 77 years from the Meiji Restoration to World War II end, and While oil painting, which was introduced to Japan in the Meiji period, is called Yo-ga (foreign style painting), Japanese painting refers to paintings which utilize traditional Japanese techniques and styles and rather than being reliant on oil paint. Japanese paintings use mineral pigments. It is unique to Japan. It doesn’t fix on the screen only pigment. So we have to use glue. I’ll go into detail of materials in Week 3.

 “the Milky Way”Chiori Miyakita ( 「天の川」　宮北千織 )

 This is the work of Chiori Miyakita. She is modern Japanese painting artist and one of my favorite artist. (I’ll introduce detail of other modern artist in Week 8.) Her work is totally different from Ukiyo-e. In this way, Japanese painting is not limited to Ukiyo-e. Japanese painting is developing and expanding now as one of the style of abundant art.

 Well, how Japanese painting was established? Two people are involved in it. They are important persons in establishment of Japanese painting. And that person is Fenollosa and Tenshin Okakura. Fenollosa came to Japan from the United States in 1878. He was impressed with Japanese art, and he was involved in reconstruction of Japanese painting.
After coming to Japan, Fenollosa was shocked. Japanese didn't cherish Japanese art. Japan after the Meiji Restoration blindly worshiped Western culture, and the "art" Japanese thought was foreign paintings and sculptures. So traditional folding screens and Ukiyo-e were treated for a song. Japanese have not thought that there is artistic value in paintings. Sharaku, Hokusai, Utamaro's. Kano and Tosa former typical school of Japanese art world had been completely forgotten by the pablic.
 1881, Fenollosa was decided to reconstruct Japanese painting on the verge of perish. And he was lectured to seek awakening to our Japanese painting artist. He said the "beauty" of Japanese painting was simplicity itself and it was better than the chaos of Western painting depended on finesse of the hand. He insisted that there were original art in Japan. Japanese had been dominated by complex to Western culture were surprised. Encouraged with the first-class power by him, the new government has distributed all over Japan to print the address of Fenollosa.
Fenollosa mentions the following points as a feature of a Japanese painting, and appreciated as good points in the lecture. 

 1. Do not follow the graphic, such as a photo.
 2. There is no shadow.
 3. There are outline.
 4. Color is not thick
 5. Expression is simple. 

They also say differs from Western.

Tenshin Okakura was Fenollosa’s assistant and interpreter. They have founded a school of art or in cooperation. When they open the Tokyo School of Fine Arts (later Tokyo National University of Fine Arts) in 1889, eliminated the education of Western painting and provided only Japanese painting as painting.

I think we can say thanks to the activities of Fenollosa and Okakura Tenshin, Japanese paintings and remained until today.


Next Week, I'm going to write about history of Japanese painting from Heian period to modern period. I'll add a lot of picture. (^ω^)see you!



(reference data:  Wikipedia  http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E7%94%BB )