Japanese art comes in many styles, and I am focusing on a specific kind of artwork that was created during the Muromachi period, and is called Japanese wall scroll art. I will discus the political, and aesthetic motivations for the art as well as the styles the artists used. Shortly after the Genpei Civil War that started in the year of 1180 and lasted till 1185. 1 The political landscape of Japan was caught in long conflicted epoch that began in 1185.2 From the year 1185 to 1573 known as the Early Feudal Period, and within this this time frame a more well known period began called the Ashikaga( Muromachi ) Period.3 Lets take a look at the history behind the art, and how the fighting influenced each of the artists I will describe. During 1185 the Minamoto Army was lead by Minamoto Yoshitsune (1159-1189). It was under Minamoto leadership that the army defeated the Taira at Dannoura, a small village near the port of Shimonoseki, and ended the five-year-long Genpei Civil War.4 Now Minamoto Yoshitsune had a older brother named Minamoto Yoritoma(1147-1199) who sat out most of the war in Kamakura. In 1180 Yomitomo had established his power base …show more content…
to prepare for his campaign to conquer the northern provinces of Honshu.5 Once the war was over Yomitomo began to launch his attack on the northern provinces, and also kill his younger brother Yoshitsune, whom he was jealous of, and with this campaign he was successful in bringing the whole country with the exception of Hokkaido, under his control.6 The first part of the Early Feudal Era was called the Kamakura period, and General Yorimoto was Japan's first shogun.7 Fast forward to 1336, and the beginning of the Nanbokucho period where the Ashikaga shogunate rose to power, when Ashikaga Takuji assumed the title Seitai Shogun.8 Before this 1336, different schools of art were prominent in Japan one such school was the Kei School of sculptors.9 This school Traced its origins to the sculptor Raijo (1044-1119), who was a second-generation disciple of Jocho. Jocho originally had a studio Kyoto, but after Raijo completed a commission from Kofukuji in 1096, he decided to remain in Nara.10 Competing conservative art school during this time also included the powerful In and En schools.11 Numerous art schools in Japan's history were formed, and challenged that lead up to the art of the Ashikaga period. While there is a large variety of art that was taught, and created during span of time before the Muromachi art style the focus of this paper is the Moromachi art style in wall scroll art, and sliding doors. That being said I would be remiss to not mention that the schools of art followed two different social pathways. During this time the artists were taught about both secular art, and art that focused on Buddhist divines. While secular art was normally taught at studios throughout Japan. Religiously focused art was usually taught at Buddhist temples, and the teachings of Zen Buddhism changed the style of art to be more aesthetically pleasing as well way to encourage enlightenment. Zen Buddhism from the Chinese Chan Sect of Buddhism arrived in Japan at the end of the 12th century. This new form of Buddhism became one of the most important religious, and cultural events in the Early Feudal Period.12 During the Kamakura Period contact with China of the Song dynasty(960-1279), Japanese priests and monks were drawn to the Chan sect. They didn't rely on dogma, scriptures, and conventional ritual, but instead relied on the practitioner's direct intuitive perception of reality.13 Furthermore, with the rise of Zen Buddhism the Ideal of the Aesthetic of Wabi began to develop within the intellectual climate in the Kamakura period.14 This newly developed concept of Wabi places great value on pleasure taken in austerity and aloneness, and beauty perceived in simplicity, and encourages the appreciation of objects that are weathered by time.15 The lay priest Yoshida Kenko born in the year 1283 wrote an essay around the year 1330 provides evidence of the evolution Japanese thought from the isolation, and pessimism of Kamo no Chomei to a positive espousal of life and a system of aesthetic values.16 This is important because it leads to zen priests in the Ashikaga period who became known as priest painters. With the emergence of Zen Buddhism the original composition of Buddhist temples began to go through fundamental changes. The most important change to the Buddhist temple was the development of the central complex for public ceremonies.17 Other changes the Buddhist temples embraced was the changes in the traditional names, types, styles, and layout of the buildings in the temple compound.18 The importance of aesthetics along with the art used to meditative thought was gaining in value to many Buddhists monks. It was the temples public division and private sectors that permitted several different kinds of imagery in Zen paintings to coexist: Traditional Buddhist themes for public view with motifs and styles directly related to Zen thought for objects placed in sub-temples.19 According to the New York Metropolitan Museum's website http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/muro/hd_muro.htm it was the rivalry of the daimyos that led to changes in the political environment, but despite the social and political upheaval the Muromachi period was economically and artistically innovative.20 With the growth in transportation, contact with China that had resumed during the Kamakura period started to greatly increase.21 It was the growth of transportation in the Muromachi period that led to the spread of Zen Buddhism, and the interchange of ideas that gave rise to more creative ideas. Also Kyoto, which, as the imperial capital, had never ceased to exert an enormous influence on the country's culture, once again became the seat of political power under the Ashikaga shoguns. The private villas that the Ashikaga shoguns built there also served as elegant settings for the pursuit of art and culture, which was sought after for Zen Buddhist. 22 The book History of Japanese art states that Zen Buddhism's focus is the universal truth expressed in the present moment, and it is that universal truth that vastly widened the range of themes painted by priests and for the temples.23 Now that leads us to the Early Zen priest painters and there chosen/learned style of art that was active during the mid 14th century. Kao Ninga and Mokuan Reien who was active during the first half of the 14th century are two such priest painters.24 Along with these two individuals is the priest painter named Kichizan Minco (1352-1431) who born on the island of Aiwa. Mincho became a student of the island's zen head priest who later was appointed to Tofukuji in Kyoto Mincho accompanied him and became chodensu.25 The painting known as the Death of the Buddha was created by Mincho, and he was known to use the style of art called Doshakuga, which is the depiction of Buddhist themes intended to convey the subjective experience of receiving spiritual insights or revelations.
26 The painting named The White Robed Kannon is an example of his use of the doshakuga tradition of imagery.27 While Kao and Mokuan were less versatile then Mincho, they still left excellent ink figure pantings that also used the doshakuga tradition of art. 28 When it comes to both Kao and Mokuan there is a confusion abou the identity of the painter using the Kao and Ninga seals, and it has been suggested that Kao was professional Buddhist painter affiliated Takuma School of Artists, but judging by the work bearing the seals Kao was not a trained
professional.29 Mokuan has more surviving information about him then Kao does, and according to the History of Japanese art Mukuan was ordained as a priest in Kamakura before 1323 and journeyed to China about 1327 to perfect his knowledge of Zen.30 During 1327 Mokuan had lived in several different monasteries in south China and died there around the year 1345.31 An ink painting created by Mokuan, which I have began to admire, is the painting named Kokemono ( Four Sleepers). The Four sleepers depicts Kanzan and Jittoku entwined with the monk Bukan and his tiger, all four asleep.32
War played a central part in the history of Japan. Warring clans controlled much of the country. A chief headed each clan; made up of related families. The chiefs were the ancestors of Japan's imperial family. The wars were usually about land useful for the production of rice. In fact, only 20% of the land was fit for farming. The struggle for control of that land eventually ga...
In the book Samurai, Warfare and the State in Early Medieval Japan, Karl Friday focuses on war in early medieval Japan. A central thesis could be the political primacy of the imperial court. (Lamers 2005) This is the tenth through fourteenth centuries, before the samurai became prominent in Japan and were trying to form themselves into more of what we think of them today. Friday focuses on five aspects of war in his book; they are the meaning of war, the organization of war, the tools of war, the science of war, and the culture of war.
During World War II, after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, Japanese Americans in the western United States were forced into internment camps because the government felt as though the Japanese were dangerous if they were not relocated. These camps were usually in poor condition and in deserted areas of the nation. The Japanese were forced to make the best of their situation and thus the adults farmed the land and tried to maximize leisure while children attempted to enjoy childhood. The picture of the internee majorettes, taken by internee and photographer Toyo Miyatake, shows sixteen girls standing on bleachers while posing in front of the majestic Sierra Nevada mountain range and desolate Manzanar background. Their faces show mixed expressions of happiness, sadness and indifference, and their attire is elegant and American in style. With the image of these smiling girls in front of the desolate background, Miyatake captures an optimistic mood in times of despair. Though this photograph is a representation of the Manzanar internment camp and, as with most representations, leaves much unsaid, the majorette outfits and smiling faces give a great deal of insight on the cooperative attitudes of Japanese Americans and their youth's desire to be Americanized in this time.
Japan lasted from 1185-1603. During that time Japan had emperors, shoguns, daimyos, samurai, and peasants who were all apart of a social class, and all together it was called the Samurai Society. The emperor was just a figurehead for the shogun. The shogun was a powerful military leader that ruled in the emperor’s name. Daimyo were powerful landlords. The daimyo often led armies of samurai. These samurai were trained professional warriors who served daimyo and shoguns. The samurai had to follow a certain code of rules for samurai called Bushido. One of their rules included to always have self-discipline to become a good samurai. The samurai warriors wore light armor, helmets (usually shaped like an animal), and had two swords around their waist. Their armor had a lot of detail and color to it, like their unique helmets. After the samurai comes the peasants, which included farmers and fishermen. They usually always work, then pay takes to the shogun. They usually gave the shogun what they earned from working like food or crops. What made their jobs a bit difficult was their topography. Japan’s topography included many mountains, undersea volcanoes, and barely any flat land to farm on. The Japanese didn’t only work they also practiced their religion. For example, they practiced Confucianism, Buddhism (...
The imperial power of the Japanese empire was ruled by the warrior class. By the end of
I learned about many significant artwork and artist in this class. This class provided me with a better understanding of the history of the world Art, but also helped me understand the development of art style. However, among all of these precious pieces of artwork, there are two special ones that caught my attention: The Chinese Qin Terracotta Warriors and The Haniwa. Each of them represents the artist’s stylistic characteristics and cultural context. Although they represented different art of rulers, historical values, and scenes, there were visible similarities.
Minamoto Yoritomo established the capital of his new military government in familiar surroundings at his home town of Kamakura, the former small fishing village on the western extent of the Kanto Plain once governed by his great grandfather . Situated in a scenic valley on the northeastern edge of Sagami Bay amid the lush foothills of a craggy mountain range that surrounds the town on three sides, it was both easy to defend and difficult to invade. Where Taira no Kiyomori had only limited military control in the immediate area around the imperial capital at Heian-kyo, Yoritomo's military dominance was nationwide. Kiyomori exercised his authority from behind the scenes and largely through the old civil government structure in the tradition of the Fujiwara before him. Yoritomo declined to dethrone the emperor and created an entirely new and separate governmental structure closely linked with the old civil administration, but independent of it and separately based Kamakura.
The Tokugawa period, also known as Edo period (1603-1867), was the final period of traditional Japan that lasted for more than 250 years (britannica.com,2013). The period was a time of internal peace, political stability, and economic growth under the Shogunate founded by Tokugawa Ieyasu. The Tokugawa Shoguns maintained strict control over the structure of society by keeping a firm control over what they were allowed to do and what they were not allowed to do.
When discussing the origin of the Samurai, an important time in history for their beginning can be seen in the formation of a Feudal System in early Japan. In 646 AD, Emperor Tenji enacted the Taika Reform. This reform allowed the aristocracy to adopt Chinese-Style political structures, bureaucracy, and culture (Farris). Basically, this allowed land to be redistributed among the people and while new taxes were formed. This was because more income was needed to support the newly adopted Chinese style empire. Due to these reforms, many peasants had to sell their land and work as farmers for other people while people who actually owned land were able to gain wealth and power. This resulted in the formation of a feudal system. This system was similar to that of medieval Europe and contributed to the rise of the Samurai social class.
Over the course of Japanese history, arguably, no artist is more famous for their works than Katsushika Hokusai. During his 88 years of life, he produced over 30,000 pieces of artwork, and heavily influenced Western styles of art. His most famous piece was created around 1831, a Japanese styled piece titled, The Great Wave off Kanagawa. This piece has stood as a defining piece of artwork in the Japanese culture for over 180 years, analyzed by students and authors for the interpretations filling the paper. The relationship between Hokusai’s painting has directly affected the Western point of view of Japanese style. The English author, Herbert Read’s novel interprets the painting distinctly differently from a Japanese point, American poet,
Though most works of art have some underlying, deeper meaning attached to them, our first impression of their significance comes through our initial visual interpretation. When we first view a painting or a statue or other piece of art, we notice first the visual details – its size, its medium, its color, and its condition, for example – before we begin to ponder its greater significance. Indeed, these visual clues are just as important as any other interpretation or meaning of a work, for they allow us to understand just what that deeper meaning is. The expression on a statue’s face tells us the emotion and message that the artist is trying to convey. Its color, too, can provide clues: darker or lighter colors can play a role in how we judge a piece of art. The type of lines used in a piece can send different messages. A sculpture, for example, may have been carved with hard, rough lines or it may have been carved with smoother, more flowing lines that portray a kind of gentleness.
During the 16th century japan had lots of samurais and shoguns. One of the many was Oda Nobunaga a powerful samurai warlord of Japan. Oda has many accomplishments and and other things he's done. One of the things he did was initiate the unification of Japan near the end of the Warring States period.
Miyamoto Musashi was born in 1584, in a Japan struggling to recover from more than four centuries of internal strife. The traditional rule of the emperors had been overthrown in the twelfth century, and although each successive emperor remained the figurehead of Japan, his powers were very much reduced. Since that time, Japan had seen almost continuous civil war between the provincial lords, warrior monks and brigands, all fighting each other for land and power. In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries the lords, called daimyo, built huge stone castles to protect themselves and their lords and castle towns outside the walls began to grow up. These wars naturally restricted the growth of trade and impoverished the whole country.
Japanese sword history spans several centuries. It is commonly divided into five major periods, the Jokoto and Koto periods or the ancient swords, pre-650 A.D, and the old swords from post-650 A.D. until 1596 A.D. when the Shinto...
There are many historical aspects of the Japanese, but the most interesting is the history of the Samurai. In Japans history war played a large role in the country. Controlling clans fought for parts of the land and overall control of the country. These clans were powerful families that resided in the country and who all wanted power and control of Japan for themselves. The families that would be in control were known as Shoguns. These shoguns would have warriors that fought for them if any of the other clan families would try to attack him in order to overthrow him and take his power from him. The Samurai followed a code that developed from Chinese beliefs when in battle. The Samurais code was known as the Bushido. This code was also known as “The Way of The Warrior” which was the main belief s...