JAPANESE ARTS

What is Japanese Arts ?

Japanese art includes different art styles and
media, including ancient pottery, sculpture, ink
painting, and calligraphy on silk and paper,
ukiyo-e paintings and woodblock prints, kiri -
e, kirigami, origami, and more recently manga
or modern Japanese cartooning and comics.
WHEN DID JAPANESE ARTS OCCUR?

Japanese art is the painting,

calligraphy, architecture, pottery,
sculpture, and other visual arts
produced in Japan from about 10,000
BCE to the present.
HOW DID JAPANESE ARTS STARTED?
 The first example of complex art in Japan was
produced in the centuries VII and VIII in
connection with Buddhism.
 In the ninth century, when the Japanese began
to free itself from the cultural influence of
China and develop indigenous forms of
expression, the secular arts became
increasingly important.
THE 3 HISTORY OF JAPANESE
ARTS
1. THE JOMON PERIOD (c. 10,500-c. 300 BCE)
This is the start of Japanese history. Society evolved into semi-
sedentary lifestyles and early architecture started, as pit houses (wooden
structures) became common. Pottery developed and was decorated by
pressing cords against the clay. The decorative marks are known as
jomon.
2. THE YAYOI PERIOD (c. 300 BCE-c. 300 CE)
New immigrants arrived in Japan from Korea and China and
brought wetland rice agriculture. A simpler from of pottery
developed along with techniques for making copper weapons and
bronze bells.
3. THE EDO PERIOD (1603-1868)
There was political stability but also strict rules governing most aspects of life. The country
was closed to foreign influences, so local styles developed. Painting was very important,
especially woodblock printings made by carving images on wood and then stamping them on
paper. The images usually depicted trees, landscapes, and women and remained a popular artistic
tradition for ceturies.
TOP 3 FAMOUS ARTIST OF JAPANESE ARTS

KATSUSHIKA
HASEGAWA TOHAKU YOKOYAMA TAIKAN
HOKUSAI
KATSUSHIKA HOKUSAI

 Born at Takitaoi which is known as

Tokyo
 Born in October 31, 1760 and Died
in May 10, 1849 at the age of 88.
 A Japanese ukiyo - e artistof the
Edo period.
 Best known for the woodblock
print series. Thirty six views at Mt.
Fuji which include the iconic print
The Great Wave off kanagawa.
 FAMOUS ARTWORK OF KATSUSHIKA

1. THE GREAT WAVE OFF KANAGAWA

 Also known as the “Great Wave” was
created around 1831.
 Mount Fuji holds religious/sacred
significance in Japan.
 The print depicts the undulating and
dominating ocean, the three boats and the
view at Mount Fuji far in the distance.
 Hokusai may have wished to depict a fear
of and respect for the ocean with the play
on perspective.
2. FINE WIND, CLEAR MORNING
 Known by its name “Red Fuji”
 This print is clear and straightforward
compositionally, with the bulk of Mt. Fuji
traversed by traling clouds.
 This work has unparalleled focus on its
simple shape.
 This scene is possibly the mountain dyed
red by the dawn sun, as early summer
“fine winds” blow from the south.
 Hokusai has not simply created a red
mountain surface, he leightened that
colored surface to create more striking
content with the surrounding colors.
3. THE DREAM OF THE
FISHERMAN'S WIFE
 The image is a particularly impressive
example of the erotic genre known as
'shunga' which translates literally to the
euphemistic 'picture of spring', which was
particularly popular in the nineteenth
century.
 The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife was and
continues to be popular primarily due to
Hokusai's skill in capturing female pleasure,
with the open position of the woman's body,
her reclining head, closed eyes and open
mouth evoking her sense of abandon and
inspiring viewers' own flights of fantasy.
HASEGAWA TOHAKU
 Considered one of the greatest
painters of the Asuchi-Momoyama
period.
 He is best known for his byobu
folding screens, such as Pine Tress
and Pine Tree and Flowering Plants,
or the Painting in walls and sliding
doors at Chishaku-in.
 Remembered as one of the most
influential Japanese painters of the
pre-Edo period.
 Several of his works survive as
National Treasures.
 FAMOUS ARTWORKS OF HASEGAWA
1. BIRDS AND FLOWERS
 The work that art historicans cite to
argue that two supposedly different
painters - Nobuharu and Tohaku -
were actually the same person.
 The screen is made up of pine trees,
birds, and a stream which flows out
of the screen.
2. PINE TREES
 A wonderfully simple but impactful
representation of shadowy trees
which almost appear ghostly against
their backdrop; abrilliant example
of the stark simplicity that Tohaku
could adopt in his works.
 In this almost surreal work, the
artist depicts two pine trees, which
are sorrounded by ghosts of the past
and the future.
 Pine trees symbolize powerful ideas
around vitality, fertility and
longevity.
3. LANDSCAPES
 It captures a
quintessential Japanese
wintry landscape, with
snowcaped peaks, basic
dwellings, bare trees and
far - off mountains.
 Its gold frame and soft
yellow tones give the
work a dream - like feel.
YOKOYAMA TAIKAN

 The original name “ Sakai

Hidemaro”
 Born in November 2, 1868 at Ibaraki
Japan and Died in February 26, 1958
at the age of 89.
 Was the art-name of a major figure in
pre-World War II Japanese painting.
He is notable for helping create the
Japanese painting technique of
Nihonga.
 FAMOUS ARTWORKS OF TAIKAN

1. SELFLESSNESS
 “Selflessness” is Taikan’s
early work.
 The core idea of Zen and the
boy represents the
enlightenment in Buddhism
world. The pussy willows
come into bud and the
surface of the river is quiet.
They show nice weather of
spring day.
2. AUTUMN LEAVES
 This was exhibited for the 18th
Inten Exhibition.
 Taikan created a flow by painting
ultramarine blue and expressing
the clear atmosphere of autumn
with white-silver ripples and red
autumn leaves.
 Red autumn leaves are laid out in
the left half, and in the right half
he shows the sadness of a quaint,
remote canyon by adding a wagtail
flying off in the distance.
3. MT. FUJI (1940)
 This is one of the pieces painted in
commemoration of the 2,600th
anniversary of the founding of Japan
and 50th year of Taikan’s painting
career. The appearance of a pure
white Mt. Fuji is so magnificent
 The sun's red and white corona
creates divinity.
 The design is simple, but a strong
and divine atmosphere is effectively
enhanced. The title means the
diffusion of light in the universe.
Using the symbolic subject of Mt.
Fuji and the sun, Taikan expresses
his love of Japan.