JAPAN BEFORE 1333 & 1336-1980Nikki Patel and Drew Evans

MAP OF JAPAN

WORKS CITED

Barron's AP Art History- 3rd Edition : John B. Nici

Khan Academy- AP Art History : https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/ap-art-history

KEY IDEAS OF JAPANESE ART

Influenced by Shintoism and Zen philosophy Central Art Forms : Calligraphy/Painting Japanese artists worked on commission Influenced by Japanese Tea Ceremony and it’s four

principles- purity, harmony, respect, and tranquility Zen simplicity seen in Japanese architecture- single

story, made of wood, raised floors (to reduce humidity), mobile spaces, Zen garden

Deep respect for natural world Heavily influenced European art

ARTISTIC STYLE

Characterized by elevated viewpoints, diagonal lines, and depersonalized faces

Popular Ink-splashed painting : Haboku- free/open style that gives illusion of being splashed on the surface

Genre paintings from 17th to 19th centuries were dominated by ukiyoe - “pictures of the floating world”

Printmaking process between artist and publisher

VOCABULARY

Genre Painting : painting in which scenes of everyday life are shown Haboku (splashed ink) : monochrome ink painting done in free style

in which the ink seems to be splashed on a surface Kondo : a hall used for Buddhist teachings Mandorla : describes a large almond-shaped orb around holy figures

like Christ or Buddha Tarashikomi : painting technique in which pain is applied to a surface

that has not already dried from pervious application Ukiyo-e : “pictures of the floating world” – genre painting that was

popular from the 17th to 19th century Yamato-e : style of Japanese painting that is characterized by native

subject, stylized features, and thick bright pigments Zen : a metaphysical branch of Buddhism that revolves around

fulfillment through self-discipline and intuition

TODAI-JI 743- rebuilt c. 1700 Nara, Japan- Great Eastern

Temple Wood with ceramic tile

roofing (largest wooden building in the world)

Colossal sculpture of seated image of the Vaiorcana Buddha

Temple and Buddha have been razed several times during military unrest

Seven external bays on façade

Influenced by monumental Chinese sculptures

GREAT BUDDHA : TODAI-JI REBUILT

Rebuilt in c.1700 Monumental feat of casting Meant to stabilize the Japanese

population during a time of economic crisis

Largest metal statue of Buddha in the world

Mudra : right hand means “do not fear” ; left hand means “welcome”

Cross cultural comparisons of the Buddha across Asia : Bamiyan Buddha, Jowo Rinpoche, Longmen Caves

NIO GUARDIAN FIGURES

c. 1203 Complex joined

woodblock construction By Unkei, Tankei, and

Jokahu One on either side of the

gate Intricate swirling drapery Fierce forbidding looks

and gestures Masculine, frightening

figures that “protect the Buddha”

GREAT SOUTH GATE 1181-1203 Wood with ceramic tile roofing Nandaimon : great south gate

with five bays (three central bays for passing and two outer bays that are closed)

Two same sized stories Deep eaves supported by the

six-stepped bracket complex Roof exposed from below (no

ceiling) and supported by huge pillars

Overall effect is of proportion and stateliness

Cross cultural comparisons of entrances : Great Portal, North Gate of the Great Strupa, Front Gate of the Forbidden City

RYOAN-JI c. 1480 Kyoto, Japan Garden as a microcosm of nature Zen dry garden-

Gravel acts as water Rocks are mountain rages Meant to be viewed from a

veranda in a nearby building 15 rocks arranged in 3 groups Interpreted as islands in a

floating sea/ mountain peaks above clouds/ constellations in the sky

Entire garden isn’t viewable at once from any viewpoint

Served as a focus for meditation

Asymmetrical Bounded on two sides by a low,

yellow wall

RYOAN-JI (CONTINUED) Wet Garden-

Contains a tea house Seemingly arbitrary in

placement, the plants are actually placed in a highly organized and structured environment symbolizing the natural world

Water symbolizes purification (used in rituals)

Cross Cultural Comparisons of people and nature- Weiwei (Sunflower Seeds), Velasco (Valley of Mexico), Turner (The Slave Ship)

NIGHT ATTACK ON THE SANJO PALACE c. 1250-1300 Handscroll- ink and color on paper (swift,

active brushstrokes) Painted 100 years after the civil war

depicted in the scene Elevated viewpoint/strong diagonals-

showed movement and action Narratives read from right to left as scroll

is unrolled Depersonalized figures Tangled mass of forms accentuated by

Japanese armor Lone archer leads the escape from the

burning palace with equestrian Japanese commander behind him

Burning of the imperial palace at Sanjo in Kyoto as rebel forces try to seize power by capturing the emperor

Coup staged in 1159 as Emperor Go-Shirakawa is taken prisoner

Cross Cultural Comparisons to historical events- Lin (Vietnam Veterans Memorial), Goya, Column of Trajan

WHITE AND RED PLUM BLOSSOMS Ogata Korin-artist 1710-1716 Watercolor on paper Influenced by Yamato-e style of

painting Stream cuts rhythmically through

the scene/swirls in paint surface indicate water currents

White plum blossoms on left; red on right

Tarashikomi technique- paint is applied to surface that hasn’t already dried from a previous application (creates a dripping effect useful in depicting streams of flowers

Cross Cultural Comparisons of multi-panel paintings- Campin, Grunewald, Circle of the Gonzalez Family

UNDER THE WAVE OF KANAGAWA (THE GREAT WAVE) 1830-1833 Polychrome woodblock print

with ink/color on paper Metropolitan Museum of Art,

New York First time landscape Last of a series of prints called

“Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji” Personification of nature

(drowning the figures in boats) Mount Fuji-sacred mountain Striking design contrasts water

and sky with large areas of negative space

Cross Cultural Comparisons of images of the sea and water- Michelangelo (the flood), Turner (the slave ship), Kusama (narcissus harden)

THEME : SACRED SPACE Todai-ji Parthenon

-Both are temples -Todai-ji dedicated to Buddha and Parthenon dedicated to Athena-Held religious and cultural importance during the time period

THEME : VIOLENCE & CONFLICT Night Attack on the Sanjo Palace Column of Trajan

-Both depict some significance of famous battles and conflicts with neighboring areas-Both represent an important even for the city in the time period- Two different forms of art : painting/architecture

CONCLUSION OF JAPANESE ART Japanese art revolves around a combination of traditional Chinese painting styles and unique Japanese artistic styles. Throughout this art, great emphasis was put on properties of wood construction and harmonizing with the natural surrounding environment. The majority of Japanese buildings are meant to be viewed as part of an overall balance in nature that complement a setting and never intrude upon it.