A HISTORY OF ORIENTAL

& EASTERN ART

 INTRODUCTION

● Oriental Art is a major branch of Art

Classification.

● Pieces commonly include:

o Painting
o Calligraphy
o Graphic Art
o Sculpture
o Pottery

● The Origins of Oriental Art include Religion,

Politics, Philosophy, Culture and Technology.
 CHINESE ART

● Originated as early “stone art”

in around 10,000 BC -
comprising mainly Pottery and
Sculpture.

● Early works were based on

Chinese settlers’ Religious
and Supernatural beliefs.
 CHINESE ART

● Early artwork was used to depict people and

landscapes.

● They were commonly found as decorations

for human burial sites.

● Landscapes particularly rose to prominence

during the Five Dynasties between 907 AD
and 1127 AD.

● To create minimalist brush strokes a thin

brush was used and dipped in coloured ink.
 CHINESE ART

● More colour ful art was produced during

late imperial China between 1368 AD to
1911 AD

● Qing Dynasty saw r ise of Or thodox school

with older styles of thin brush calligraphy
and Individualist painters with a more
revolutionar y approach.

● Communist Revolution of 1949 created

new era of Chinese Art

● Modern Chinese art includes new forms of

expression such as photography and video
 CHINESE SCULPTURE

● Originates from the First Dynasty in

2,100 BC.

● Among the most renowned, best

preserved and largest examples of
these is the Terracotta Army; a
collection of figurines built for
Emperor Qin Shi Huang and buried
with him.

● They represented protection for him in

the afterlife.
 CHINESE SCULPTURE

● This started an era of miniature

figures being sculpted to
accompany dead people in their
tombs.

● This classically dates back to the

Tang Dynasty between 618 AD
and 907 AD.
 CHINESE POTTERY

● Pottery dates back Palaeolithic

era - pre-dating Dynasties

● Started being made on an

industrial scale when popularity
of and ease of construction
increased

● Rulers requested Pottery to be

used as Gifts and Trade
 JAPANESE ART

● Similarly to Chinese Art, Japanese Art

dates back to around 10,000 BC.

● Captures a wide variety of styles such

as ink painting, pottery and sculpture.

● Japan has taken many foreign

influences to create its existing culture
and ideals.
 JAPANESE ART

● Painting is a traditional Japanese

art form, originating from stick
figures to illustrate silk, pottery
and paper.

● Japan’s first civilization moulded

and painted pottery and clay
figures.

● Later settlers in around 350 BC

brought knowledge and Bronze
Manufacturing and Decoration.
JOMON POTTERY

Jōmon pottery vessels

are the oldest in the
world. They are
characterized by their
decoration from
impressions, which
resemble rope. The word
Jōmon means “cord
markings” or “patterns.”
 JAPANESE ART

● The rise of Buddhism in the East in

the 7th and 8th centuries taught
Japan enhanced bronze-casting
methods

● Sculptures of Buddha were popular

around this time but phased out
because of opposition from
Buddhist temples and Japanese
nobility
 JAPANESE ART

● Picture scrolls grew in popularity

after 1130 BC.

● These were pictorial stories

illustrating men and women.

● Kamakura was also a popular

period of Japanese art with
sculpture, calligraphy and painting
between 1180 and 1333 AD.
 JAPANESE ART

● The Muromachi period between 1338 and

1573 saw art become more elitist and
aristocratic.

● Conser vative colours were used - black and

white - and single colours were common.

● Secular art began to dominate when China

and Japan started to drift apart.

● After 1477 Japan lost interest in sculpture

which resulted in religion playing a less
significant role.
 JAPANESE ART

● Western culture and artistic values had

imprinted on Japanese culture by the
start of the 20th century.

● A dichotomy was created between

these
new western styles and a desire to
revert back to traditional conservative
art forms.

● Japanese Anime was born after World

War II alongside American comic books
and cartoons
 KOREAN ART

● 676 AD saw Korea become completely

independent of China and led to a
boom in Korean Art.

● Despite this, art of Korea has been

heavily influenced by Chinese Art and
vice versa; strengthening and widening
respective artistic styles.

● Buddhism played a key role in artistic

themes.
 KOREAN ART

● Some of the best Buddhist art is

understood to have been produced
between 676 and 935 AD during the
Unified Silla period.

● The Joseon Dynasty in 1392 began

a
cultural renaissance in Korea - introducing
Neo- Confucianism which featured secular
art and culture.

● The 15th and 16th centuries saw classical

art reintroduced.
 KOREAN ART

● Painting styles in this era included

landscapes with nostalgic places and
mountain scenes with clouds and trees.

● Ink was used commonly to highlight the

contrast between l ight and dark; as
well as ceramics, stoneware and
porcelain.

● Painting was the most popular art form in

the 20th centur y - particularly abstract
painting from the 1930s onwards
 KOREAN ART

Korean monochrome paintings grew

in popularity in the 1970s and 1980s
which challenged pre-conceived ideas
about ink and oil painting.
 KOREAN ART

Monochromatic art is a type of art in which

only one color or hue is used.
Monochrome, which literally means "one
color," pieces can be in black and white or
feature various shades of the same color.
 KOREAN ART

Monochromatic paintings