Chapter 28:
Japan After 1336
Muromachi Period (1336-1573)
• The Muromachi period (1336-1573) marked the beginning
of the rise of Zen Buddhism along with the traditional
continuation of Pure Land and Esoteric Buddhism. This
period encouraged trading with the Chinese and in due
course, Muromachi paintings closely abided to Chinese
works, although displaying a great variety in the styles and
subjects of the pieces of art. One of the styles depicted in
this period is the Haboku (splashed ink) style developed by
monks where the image was visualized and applied onto
the paper with broad, rapid strokes, sometimes even with
ink dripping onto the paper. A style contrary to this is the
Kano style where ink is applied in bold outlines and
occasional light colors with precision to create a sharp
effect.
Zen
• Zen is a Buddhist tradition in the 14th century that taught that
everyone has the potential for enlightenment, but worldly
knowledge and mundane thought patterns suppress it.
Meditation was stressed as a long-term practice leading to
Enlightenment. Zen emphasized rigorous discipline and
personal responsibility. By cultivating discipline and intense
concentration, Buddhists can release themselves from the
mundane world. Zen teachings view mental calm, lack of fear,
and spontaneity as signs of a person’s advancement on the
path to enlightenment. Zen training for monks takes place at
temples, some of which have gardens designed in accord with
Zen principles. For example, Saihoji’s gardens center on a
pond in the shape of a Japanese character for “mind” or
“spirit”, which is the perfect setting for monks to meditate.
Tosa vs. Kano School
• The Tosa school, which dates from the early 15th
century, specialized in traditional yamato-e style
painting. Tosa paintings often used subjects taken
from classical literature such as the celebrated Heianperiod work, Genji monogatari (Tale of Genji). The use
of gold and bright colors was one characteristic of Tosa
paintings.
• The Kano School pioneered a new style of ink painting
that made creative use of empty space while at the
same time displaying a knack for refined brushwork.
Artwork displayed precision in applying ink in bold
outlines and applying light colors and items to direct
the focus onto certain items within the work.
Unification of Japan in the
Momoyama period
• After four decades of constant warfare,
Tokugawa Leyasu, a warlord, seized power and
achieved unification. Warlords constructed
large castles to reinforce their power and
commissioned lavish decorations characterized
by a robust, opulent and dynamic style, with
gold lavishly applied to architecture, furniture,
paintings and garments. Lions became
associated with power and bravery, fitting for a
leader. On the other hand, there was also
support for rustic simplicity.
Tea Ceremony
• The Tea Ceremony, also called the Way of Tea, is a Japanese
cultural activity that involves the ceremonial preparation
and presentation of powdered tea. It was influenced greatly
by Zen Buddhism and Chinese culture and resulted in a
huge impact in the art, architecture and culture of Japan. Tea
houses, places where the Tea Ceremony took place, were
built with tatomi (strong straw mats) and tokonoma (an
alcove). They were usually painted with dark walls and were
small in size to encourage intimacy between the guests and
the host. Guests and hosts were also expected to enter the
teahouse by crawling on one’s knees. This behavior
exhibited humility and eliminated any social status
differences. Art in teahouses was also affected by Chinese
objects. The Kogan, a tea ceremony water jar, was painted
with casual decorations and were glazed, and exhibited
influences of the Zen culture.
Rimpa School
• The traditional school of
painting (Kano school) favored
a strict transmission of style
from teacher to student, unlike
the Rimpa school. Artists came
from merchant families and
since they were supported by
nobility, most works
incorporated literary themes.
Works of art originating from
this school featured vivid
colors, extensive use of gold
and silver and different
intricate designs.
Fig 28-10 HONAMI KOETSU,
Boat Bridge, writing box, Edo
period, early 17th century
Koetsu’s Writing Box is an early
work of the Rimpa School
Traditional Art with Crafts
• The two artists, Honami Koetsu
and Sotatsu, both drew on ancient
traditions of painting and craft
decoration to create their artwork.
They ignored any set definitions
for “art” and “craft” and by
ignoring the boundaries between
the two different types of art, they
developed a style that shared
characteristics from both.
Fig. 28-11 YOSA BUSON, Cuckoo Flying
over New Verdure, Edo period, late 18th
century.
Urban Population of Japan
• The increase of an urban, educated population led to
restlessness among commonersand less ranked samurai.
People sought new ideas and images and their attention was
directed primarily to China, but also to the west. Literati
artists pursued painting as a proper function of an educated
and civilized person. Urbanization also led to an increase in
sensual pleasure/entertainment. Developments in the
printing industry allowed for the mass production of books
and printed images. Participants in the Ukiyo-e, or the
“pictures of the floating world” were admirers of literature,
music and art.
Westernization
• Near the end of the 1870’s, Japan’s Tokugawa
shogunate fell due to its inability to open up Japan to
the Western world. Socereingity was restored to the
imperial throne, but with an emperor’s cabinet
holding most of the power. This cabinet, consisting of
many leaders, hoped to catch up with the modern
world and aimed to be a Wester “civilized” nation.
• During this time (Mejia Period 1868-1912), oil painting
became a major genre. It was a Western import and
had a drastic change to the old Japanese art. As seen
by the picture on the next slide, many aspects of
Japanese art were lost do to oil painting.
Westernization (con.)
• In the Oiran, the garments
of the women were still
portrayed as abstract, but
the portraiture failed to
emphasize the features of
the figure (as ukiyo-e
artists did). Instead, it
focused more on the
analytical aspect of the
future and resembled the
paintings of Western
portraiture.
Fig. 28-14 TAKAHASHI YUICHI,
Oiran (Grand Courtesan), Mejia
Period, 1872.
Resistance to Westernization
• Despite the enthusiasm for Westernization of Japan,
many were concerned about the loss of Japan identity
and culture. American professor, Ernest Fenollasa, and
his student, Okakura Kakuzo, founded a university, as
a result, that encouraged the usage of Western
techniques in Japanese style paintings. This style
became known as nihonga (Japanese painting) unlike
yoga (Western painting).
Folk Art and Refined Rusticity
• The philosopher Yanagi Soetsu portrayed and ideal of
beauty inspired by the JapaneseTea Ceremony, that it
can only be achieved by making functional objects made
of natural materials by anonymous artists. Hamada Shoji
gained international fame due to the production of his
pottery. He traveled to England in 1920 and established a
community of ceramists dedicated to the mingei
aesthetic. This further extended the concept of Japanese
ceramics. Rusticity is the texture and form of the
particular ceramic piece. This was a technical brilliance
of the Chinese consistent with Zen concepts and it had
begun to take value in Japanese and Korean wares, an
important philosophical and aesthetic component in the
development of ceramic works in the Muromachi period.
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N: Evening Bell at the Clock
D: ca. 1765
P/S: Edo Period
A: Suzuki Harunobu
M/T: Woodblock Print
F: Prints for house embellishment,
aesthetic pleasure
• C: Found in the series of Eight Views of
the Parlor
• DT: flatness of depicted objects, rich color
like traditional court paintings, black
outlines separating distinct colors, typical
elevated viewpoint of Japanese women
• Idea: Image incorporates the refined
techniques characteristic of nishiki-e
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N: Dish
D: 1962
P/S: Showa Period
A: Hamada Shoji
M/T: stoneware darker/coarser than
porcelain
F: Collected as traditional Japanese
pottery
C: N/A
DT: black trails on translucent
glaze, less decoration than
porcelain, coarser, darker, and
heavier than porcelain, casual slip
designs
Idea: Showed the mingei aesthetic
from Japan’s folk art movement
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N: Chinese Lions
D: late 16th century
P/S: Momoyama period
A: Kano Eitoku
M/T: color, ink, gold leaf, six-panel
screen
F: Decorated the interior of castles
C: Possibly created for Toyotomi
Hideyoshi
DT: Chinese lions represented power
and bravery for a Momoyama
warlord, boldly outlined forms on a
gold ground, minimal setting
elements, powerfully muscled bodies
defined by broad contour lines
Idea: Chinese lions were an important
symbolic motif, fitting for military
leaders.
Hades Abducting Persephone (Macedonian
Court Art mid-fourth century BC)
• Wall painting in tomb 1 (Vergina, Greece)
• 3’ 3 1⁄2”
• Use of foreshortening and shading; 3⁄4
views of both figures and the chariot; short
dark brush strokes
• Appears to be bursting out into the
viewer’s space
• Depicts Hades holding the terrified,
seminude Persephone and steering his
chariot
• Reference to the story which explained the
reason for summer and winter
Kutsugen by Yokoyama Taikan (Meiji Period
1898)
• Silk Scroll painting
• 4’ 4” x 9’6”
• Combines a low horizon line and subtle shading
effects taken from Western painting and traditional
East Asian techniques, including strong ink
brushwork, washes of water/glue based pigments,
and heavy mineral pigment applications
• Composition in one main corner
• Depicts a Chinese poet who had fallen out of
favor with the Emperor and committed suicide. He
is standing strong against the strong winds
behind him.
• Analogy to a real-life situation: Okaru, an artist,
was being persecuted because of his artistic
principles.
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Winice Hui
Hillary Thi
Christina Duong
Mayuresh Mujumdar
• Period 4 APAH