Japanese Painting

A Brief Survey of Some Major Traditions

Buddhist Roots

The introduction of Buddhism to the Japanese archipelago around the sixth century A.D. had a profound effect on the development of the Japanese aesthetic sense. The accompanying infusion of Buddhist art in the Chinese style had as its primary purpose the propagation of Buddhist theology, but these works soon came to be the dominant standard of artistic excellence throughout Japan. During subsequent periods, the Chinese models were gradually refined and adapted, resulting in forms of artistic expression that are uniquely Japanese.

Yamato-e

Yamato-e (lit. Japanese painting) is a term used to describe a wide body of works considered representative of a departure from kara-e, or Chinese painting, toward a more "pure" Japanese approach to painting, beginning around the ninth century. Initially, the change was not so much a revolution in technique as it was a shift in focus, from Chinese/Buddhist themes to a more home-grown outlook. Yamato-e painters typically took for their subject matter landscapes of the four seasons, ceremonial activities, portraits of famous personages, and the depiction of scenes from Japanese literature. Characteristic of this style was its use of rich coloration, reverse perspective (where lines converge toward the foreground), and an unusual compositional device by which interior scenes could be viewed from above as through a roof which has blown away.

Zen-ga

The increasing popularity of the Zen sect of Buddhism (introduced to Japan around the twelfth century) brought with it a renewed interest in Chinese art. Zen priest-painters eagerly studied the works of Sung (960-1279) and Yuan (1279-1368) artists, and these influences helped give rise to a school that specialized largely in the use of ink for impressionistic renderings of landscapes, personages, and even abstract concepts.

Daruma the legendary meditation master travelled during the sixth century from India to China to overturn the doctrinal Buddhism being erected. Here is a famous encounter he had with the Emperor of China.

"I've constructed dozens of temples and supported hundreds of monks and nuns," the emperor told Daruma. "How great is my merit?"

No merit at all," Daruma replied bluntly.

"Tell me then," the emperor wanted to know. What is the first principle of Buddhism?

"Vast emptiness, nothing holy!" Daruma retorted.

"Who are you?" the thoroughly confused emperor demanded.

"I don't know" Daruma announced, departing suddenly as he appeared.

Kano School

A blending of the Yamato-e and Zen styles led to a new tradition of painting, called the Kano school. Patronized by the shogunal family and other feudal lords, Kano painters became the most influential artists of the Edo period (1603-1867). Using the vigorous Chinese style of ink painting, they specialized in the play of light and shade, and eventually absorbed certain coloring techniques and subject matter from the Yamato-e style.

Genre Painting and Ukiyo-e

In the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries the so-called genre movement arose. Here, in conjunction with the ascendance of an increasingly confident and important townsman class, scenes from everyday life were preferred to the more esoteric subjects favored by the ruling elite. A further narrowing down to a concentration on the sights, customs and manners of the entertainment quarters of Edo-period Japan led to what is called Ukiyo, or "floating world" art. Down-to-earth, lively, often erotic, Ukiyo-e paintings became hugely popular, especially among the non-samurai classes. Foreigners, too, found the Ukiyo style compelling, a mid-nineteenth century exhibition of Ukiyo-e prints in London helping to popularize the style abroad. And, as the invention of woodblock printing allowed Ukiyo-e artists to mass produce their works, it also had the effect of cutting the tie between artist and patron, thereby permitting rapid experimentation. The stylistic innovations of a handful of Ukiyo-e masters have thus managed to leave their imprint on the consciousness of, not only Japan, but also much of the rest of the world.

Conclusion

The assimilation and refinement of foreign influences has been a recurring motif in Japanese culture throughout the ages. The people of this small and relatively isolated chain of volcanic islands seem to have a special knack for taking what the outside world has to offer, and remaking it into something the world wants. Historically, the Japanese approach to art has followed this basic pattern of borrowing and transformation, and certainly, as the world at large comes more and more to appreciate its unique perspective on elegance and beauty, the demand for Japanese art continues to grow.

Article by Tom Zeiler.

Source: Japan Infoweb

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