Japan

Unit 8: South, East, and Southeast Asia

Historical Background:

Japan is one of the few countries in the world that has never been successfully invaded by an outside army.
In 1281, the Mongols tried and their fleet was destroyed by a typhoon called a kamikaze, or "divine wind."
There are those that have defeated the Japanese without invading, like the Allies in WWII, who never landed a force on the four principal islands until the war was over.
The Japanese archipelago is relatively sheltered and due to the infrequency of foreign interference, Japan has a greater proportion of its traditional artistic patrimony than almost any other country in the world.
For two centuries, Japanese ports were closed to all but a few Dutch and Chinese traders. In 1854, United States Naval Officer, Commodore Matthew C. Perry, opened Japan to the outside world. He negotiated tirelessly for several months with Japanese officials to achieve the goal of opening the doors of trade.

DATES / HISTORY by MAJOR CIVILIZATIONS

Jōmon period

(c. 10,500 – c. 300 B.C.E.):

Japan's neolithic period (hunter-gatherers)
In Japanese, jōmon means “cord pattern,” which refers to the technique of decorating Jōmon-period pottery.
Clay figurines have been found that are known in Japanese as dogū. These typically represent female figures with exaggerated features such as wide or goggled eyes, tiny waists, protruding hips, and sometimes large abdomens suggestive of pregnancy.

Yayoi period

(300 B.C.E. – 300 C.E.):

Society that cultivated rice in paddy fields, produced bronze/iron tools, organized by hierarchical social structure
Ceramics that were sharper/cleaner with smooth walls covered in slip; interest in symmetry with burnished surfaces & fine incisions
Metalwork bells (adorning cattle) and bronze mirrors found buried on hilltops; connotation to agricultural/fertility rituals
Ceramics & Metalwork similar to Korean style at the time

Kofun period

(c. 3rd century – 538):

Named for burial mounds of ruling class; burial mounds became more ornate with paintings around 6th century CE.
Kofun were shaped like a keyhole and protected by moats, displaying power and prestige of the ruling class
Burial mounds were encircled in stones and hollow clay earthenware, or "haniwa", for protection of the land
Haniwa were modeled after houses, animals, and humans as warriors
Potter's wheel became more prevalent in the flourishing Yamato clan (5th century CE) and created "Sue ware" known for a bluish-gray or charcoal-white jars/pitchers

Asuka period

(538-710):

Introduction of writing, measuring, currency, and written history influenced by Korea & China
Buddhism was introduced and produced a cultural shift from Shintō; more anthropomorphic representations of gods
Buddhist temples are constructed, like Hōryūji or "temple of flourishing law" in Nara, using complex wooden columns, connections, and sculptures
Late 7th Century CE lead to Taika reforms modeled after Chinese system of government and greater centralization of Japanese imperial power.

Nara period

(710-794):

China's Tang international style (compromised of many surrounding Asian cultural influences) was spread via the Silk Road to Japan
Calligraphic sutras were created in silver ink on indigo-dyed paper demonstrating the sacredness of the text on precious materials
Tōdaiji temple was constructed and the casting of the "great Buddha" required all the surrounding copper in the country to produce

Heian period

(794-1185):

Heian was the new capital, otherwise known as Kyoto today.
Heian period is divided into three sub-periods: Jōgan, Fujiwara, and Insei.
Jōgan period was rich in architecture/sculpture projects and heavily influenced by mandalas as the central devotional image of Buddhism
Fujiwara period was named after the Fujiwara clan that influenced Japan politically and artistically; they are responsible for the construction of the Phoenix Hall in Kyoto and inspired by another type of Buddhism known as "Pure Land". The Pure Land School of Buddhism taught that enlightenment could be achieved by invoking the name of Amida, the Buddha of infinite light.
The style of yamato-e is born, consisting of folding screens and room partitions with landscapes and illustrations of Japanese poetry, history, mythology, and folklore.
Insei Period refers to the imperial practice of ruling from within a monastery compound.

Zen Buddhism

School of Buddhism that is deeply rooted in all East Asian societies and imported from China in the late 12th century.
Zen adherents reject worldliness, the collection of goods for their own sake, and physical adornment.
The Zen world is centered on austerity, self-control, courage, and loyalty.
Meditation is key to enlightenment; for example, samurai warriors reach deeply into themselves to perform acts of bravery and great physical endurance.
Zen teaches through intuition and introspection, rather than through books and scripture.
Warriors and artists were quick to adapt Zen philosophy.

Japanese Tea Ceremony

Teahouses have bamboo and wooden walls with floor mats of woven straw. Everything is carefully arranged to give a sense of straightforwardness and delicacy.
Visitors enter through a low doorway, symbolizing humbleness, into a private setting. Rectangular spaces are broken by an unadorned alcove that houses a Zen painting done in a free and monochromatic style, selected to enhance an intimate atmosphere of warm and dark spaces.
Participants sit on the floor in a small space usually designed for about five people, and drink tea. The ceremony requires four principles: purity, harmony, respect, and tranquility. All elements of the ceremony are proscribed, even the purification ritual of hand washing and the types of conversation allowed.

Architecture & Sculpture

NATURE THEMES: There is a deep respect for the natural world in Japanese thought. The native religion, Shintoism, believes in the sacredness of spirits inherent in nature. In a heavily forested and rocky terrained country like Japan, wood becomes the natural choice for building, and stone for Zen gardens.
EXTERIOR ARCHITECTURE: A traditional structure is usually a single story, made of wood, and meant to harmonize with its natural environment. Wood is typically undressed with the look of the fine wood grains appreciated by the Japanese. Because wood is relatively light, the pillars could be placed at wide intervals to support the roof, opening the interior most dramatically to the outdoors. Floors are raised above the ground to reduce humidity by allowing air to circulate under the building. Eaves are long to generate shady interiors in the summer, and steeply pitched to allow the quick runoff of rain and snow.
INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE: Interiors have mobile spaces created by sliding screens, which act as room dividers, by changing the dimensions at will. Particularly lavish homes may have gilded screens, but most are of wooden materials. Floors are overlaid with straw mats.
ZEN GARDEN: Features meticulous arrangements of raked sand circling around prominently placed stones and plants. Zen gardens contain no water, but the careful placement of rocks often suggests a cascade or a rushing stream. Ultimately these gardens serve for spiritual refreshment, a place of contemplation and rejuvenation.

Painting & Printmaking

CHARACTERISTICS: Elevated viewpoints, diagonal lines, and depersonalized faces.
HABOKU: Ink-splashed paintings. Involved applying in a free and open style that gives the illusion of being splashed on the surface. Yamato-e was developed in the 12th century and features tales from Japanese history and literature depicted usually in long narrative scrolls. The depersonalized of faces in these paintings includes just a line to indicate the eyes and mouth, with the nose missing most of the time. Strong diagonals dominate the composition that feature buildings with their roofs missing so the viewer can see inside. Clouds are used to divide compositions into sections so they bcome more manageable to the viewer.
GENRE PAINTING: From the 17th to 19th centuries, Japanese work was dominated by ukiyo-e, a term that means "pictures of the floating world." The word "floating" is meant in the Buddhist sense of the passing or transient nature of life; so ukiyo-e scenes depict those of every day life or pleasure: festivals, theater (kabuki), domestic life, geishas, brothels, etc. It is famously represented in wood-block prints but can also be found in scrolls and painted screens.
PRINTMAKING: Printmaking was a collaborative process between the artist and the publisher. The publisher determined the market, dictated the subject matter and style, and employed the woodblock carver and the printer. They first began as simple black and white images, but a color system was introduced in 1741.
By 1765, a polychrome print was created that made the process more time-consuming and more expensive, but far more popular and was sold enthusiastically.
Colors are subtle and delicate and separated by black lines. Each color is applied one at a time, with different blocks dedicated to each specific color.
Between 1658-1858, millions of ukiyo-e prints were sold to the middle class, but disdained by the upper classes for being so popular. They also won affection in Europe and the Americas as an example of innovative Japanese art.

Patronage and Artistic Life

Japanese artists worked on commission, some for the royal court, others in the service of religion. Masters ran workshops with a range of assistants - the tradition in Japan usually marking this as a family-run business with the eldest son inheriting the trade. Assistants learned fromthe ground up, making paper and ink, for example. The master created the composition by brushing in key outlines and his assistants worked on the colors and details.

Painting is highly esteemed in Japan. Aristocrats of both sexes not only learned to paint, but also became distinguished in the art form.

Artwork List (* = in addition to 250)

Todai-ji

Night attack on the Sanjo Palace

Ryoan-ji

White and Red Plum Blossoms

Under the Wave off Kanagawa

Unit Vocabulary

GENRE PAINTING - genre painting in Japan focuses on depicting everyday life and common activities. It became particularly prominent during the Edo period and is closely associated with ukiyo-e prints, capturing scenes of daily life with realism and detail.

HABOKU - a Japanese ink painting technique characterized by its spontaneous, abstract application of ink, creating dynamic and expressive compositions. It reflects the influence of Zen Buddhism and traditional East Asian brush painting practices.

UKIYO-E - art characterized by woodblock prints and paintings depicting everyday life, entertainment, and landscapes. It is renowned for its vibrant colors, detailed compositions, and significant influence on both Japanese and Western art.

YAMATO-E - a traditional Japanese painting style that focuses on Japanese subjects and themes, characterized by its decorative approach, flat colors, and emphasis on narrative and surface decoration.

ZEN BUDDHISM - a branch of Mahayana Buddhism focused on meditation, direct experience, and mindfulness. It values simplicity, direct insight into one's nature, and the practical application of awareness in daily life. Influenced various Japanese arts, including tea ceremony, garden design, and ink painting.

SHINTOISM - Japan's indigenous religion focused on the worship of kami, emphasizing rituals and practices that honor deities associated with nature, ancestors, and sacred places.

TARASHIKOMI - a Japanese painting technique that involves allowing ink or color to drip or spread on a damp surface, creating fluid and organic effects. It is valued for its ability to produce natural and spontaneous textures, often used in depicting landscapes and natural subjects.

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