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 )