Japanese Pre History Art
Traditional Japanese art came from a long and progressive time line through many people. Before Japan came to be what it is today, one can look to three key periods of history.
These are the Jomon Period, Yayoi Period, and the Kofun Period.
Within these times the dominant form of art was ceramics. The people of the Jomon Period were nomadic and their work was rather basic to meet an end means.
Within the Yayoi Period you begin to find more elaborate ceramics with a greater degree of realism in art. It is also notable that the pottery was clearly used for ceremonies as well as daily functional uses.
The Kofun Period held a shift in how the people lived. Whether this is due to internal or external influence is unknown.
Yet the people began to build tombs and work with sculptures called haniwa.
Introduction Of Buddhism And Its Influence On Traditional Japanese Art
The officially recognized date for the introduction of Buddhism to Japan is 552 AD. Yet not all agree as to its actual timing.
Some debate it was progressive and could range as far forward in continued exposure to 784 after the capital transferred from Nara.
Yet here is where traditional Japanese art has a unique ability in sharing a peoples history. It is within the Asuka Period around 552 AD that the arts began to grow exponentially.
Clearly there was Buddhist influence that came near the end of the Kofun Period. It is here that a precedent was set which lasted for many generations.
Throughout Japanese history you can see sculptures were dominantly focused on and for religious purposes. As Buddhism became less important so did the focus on sculpting.
Yet painting appears to have found its birth at some point near or within the Asuka Period. Painting would remain the preferred art of Japan for many generations, and for many different purposes to include figure painting.
Painting was so prolific that it spread into multiple other arts including calligraphy. The people of these times would use brushes to write with rather than implements such as quills or pens as the West.
Traditional Japanese Art Expands
It would be within the Nara Period (710 to 794 AD) where traditional Japanese art would begin to expand. Empress Genmei established the capital of this time in present day Nara.
What makes this period of history so unique, especially for Japan, was a desire to import culture and knowledge. Missions were sent abroad to bring back these elements.
While China was the main focus of building these relationships the Japanese also exchanged culture with the Silla (Early Korean) nation.
The establishment of this relationship was critical as it allowed access to cultural influence from the earlier established Silk Road.
The Shōsōin documents play a critical role in documenting the imported treasures during the eras of Emperor Shōmu and Shōtoku.
Heian Period Influence On Traditional Japanese Art
After the capital was moved to Kyoto in 794 we find three periods of art within the Heian Period. Early Heian art was largely spiritually focused through Buddhism.
Fujiwara Art came onto the scene through the Fujiwara family which ruled as regents for the emperor. Their influence was so profound that the landscape of art once again changed along with Japanese culture.
Their focus within culture and art was based in elegant aesthetics which in turn influenced all civil affairs and religious practices. Beauty and ceremony became merged not only within art but also the architecture of this period.
This can be seen within the Byōdō-in temple at Uji.
It is near 1130 AD that the e-maki arrives becoming a popular art among the people. This art is a “picture scroll”.
A famous scroll called the Genji Monogatari Emakiis considered one of the highest points of Japanese painting from this period.
Kamakura Period Influence On Traditional Japanese Art
Within the birth of the Kamakura Period it would be in 1180 that war would break out between the Minamoto and Taira clans. After five years of fighting the Minamoto would secure their power.
While the government was seated in Kamakura, the seat of cultural and artistic development remained in Nara and Kyoto.
It is here that the shift in power went from nobility to the warrior class we know as Samurai. In turn traditional Japanese art also shifted to fulfill the new desires by the powers that be of that time.
The key focus was to satisfy the men of war, and also the religious class.
A new realistic style of sculptures came onto the scene through the Kei. Nevertheless the focus of sculpting still remained centered on Buddhism.
Painting continued to expand in its uses. Within this expansion was a new role found within Kamakura painting.
An example of this can be seen within the Kegon Engi Emaki. These were illustrated scrolls filled with art and stories for a people who had been generally illiterate in previous history.
Yet it is here that the art of calligraphy also expands spreading throughout Japan. As time would continue forward a greater focus on education would also grow within the culture as compared to earlier periods.
Muromachi Painting – A New Way Of Traditional Japanese Art
The Muromachi Period ranges from 1338 to 1573 AD. Due to further exposure to Chinese art via Buddhist temples we see the arrival of a new form that would frame traditional Japanese art.
The brighter colors of Yamato-e were replaced with the monochrome style which began to pervade throughout China. Along with this change was also a shift in the subject matter within the art.
This new style consisted of minimizing detail and using few brush strokes in order to achieve the completed art. The popular medium for these works consisted most often of ink and paper.
With a caste system dominating Japan these paintings were predominantly done by priests or monks. Two of the most notable were named Shūbun and Sesshū.
Shūbun was able to travel to China and study this style of painting from its source.
The results of his work due to his study and exposure render the most detailed of the paintings from this period among his contemporaries.
It is here that the art of Monochrome formats which the Western world is most familiar with concerning historical Japan can be seen coming into Japanese culture.
Azuchi–Momoyama Period Influence On Traditional Japanese Art
The West would be most familiar with names such as Tokugawa Ieyasu from this period of Japanese history.
The Azuchi-Monoyama period lasted from 1573 to 1603 AD. After 100 years of war and a new base of power within the nation, traditional Japanese art once again saw a shift.
The Kanō school produced a new formula for art which was developed and perfected by an artist named Kanō Eitoku. This style of Japanese painting focused on landscapes which were placed on screens for walls or doors.
A contemporary of Eitoku named Hasegawa Tōhaku perfected further use of this style on a much larger scale. Tōhaku also focused on landscapes and predominately trees or groves of trees.
Among his largest was a six fold screen which was done in monochrome black ink.
While these arts were dominantly for either temples or the ruling class, art still grew among the common man within the lower caste system. The arts for these people was far more simple in a use which was primarily functional.
Due to the still pervading aesthetic way of life many common implements held some artistic quality. The Emaki picture scrolls still played a critical role for education and communication with the people.
Edo Period Of Traditional Japanese Art
The Edo period is rather interesting for it gives what many see as a classical view of traditional Japanese art. It was also the most oppressive towards growth in arts and education.
In 1603 Tokugawa rose to power and with him came radical changes to the Japanese way of life. Much of this was due to a desire to end many generations of internal warfare.
As a result to his actions many unforeseen shifts in culture took place.
Among the changes which took place across this period was to implement a rigidity to the caste system that would even dictate who one could marry.
Strict codes of conduct were implemented that would control even the smallest aspects of life such as the clothes one could wear.
Depending upon your place in society you were either allowed or restricted from indulging in various personal pursuits including things like the arts. It is here that the artisans of Japan would struggle in the mid to latter portion of the Edo period to break away from this regime.
Within the early Edo period these new policies were slow to permeate throughout Japan and many great works of art were able to be achieved. As an example the artist Sōtatsu took classical literature and recreated them with beautiful paintings.
It is here that Enkū sculpted 120,000 Buddhist images. Architecture still advanced within the early Edo era as well with temple structures. Other advances which were giant leaps still were made within the arts.
Popular paintings of Ukiyo-e came to the forefront and is among the best known by Westerners. Woodblock printing also came to be a preferred way of communicating not only text but also imagery through printed art.
Some advances came as a result of captured people such as Koreans which were artisans within ceramics. These individuals were employed to further advance Japanese ceramics in the late Edo period.
While there were advances within the arts of Japan, in this period the nation itself was closed off from the outside world. No trade was allowed nor were foreigners generally allowed to set foot on their shores.
The Edo period would end in 1867 as a result of Western powers pressuring Japan to open its doors to the outside world.
With this came explosive growth to art, technology, and sciences which Japan had been cut off from for nearly 250 years.
Post Edo Impact On Traditional Japanese Art
With the influx of Western ideas came a period of synthesis with the blending of old and new ways.
The construct of Japanese society was still very controlled yet the government took an active role in expanding Japanese art to the world.
The Kiritsu Kosho Kaisha company was directed by the government in how Japanese culture and art would be presented and exported to the world. They took part in the shows such as the Vienna Worlds Fair with their first being in 1873.
This exporting of Japanese culture was actually necessary. Due to the importing of Western ideas and art to Japan, there was a decline in demand for Japanese art internally.
The exporting of their art still provided an avenue for creation while also promoting traditional Japanese art.
Japanese Woodworking Comes To The West
In the years which would follow not only would art influence move westward but so would Japanese woodworking. This is no insignificant matter as it has greatly influence western tastes such as with live edge wood.
Shou Sugi Ban also rose in popularity among Westerners and is now a prominent movement which many have taken to enjoy.
Tooling as well influenced the West with aspects of artistry such as Japanese chisels and other art implements.
It would take more than 100 years for many names to become famous and this influence to root into Western society. Nevertheless its impact can be seen in many homes across America though many do not realize this.
Wood carving would forever remained influenced by what the Japanese would give the world. Presently much of the philosophy found within wood art stems from this background.
Late 1900’s and Early 2000’s Traditional Japanese Art Influence
It is here that we begin to see influence in Western cultures from Japan. Artists from places like Europe and the United States would study traditional Japanese art and bring influences to the West.
These influences would later impact Monochromatic Art in the mid 20th century among other arts. While World War 2 would slow demand, by the 1980s Japan would be moving quickly towards the center stage in art and technology.
Their influences in aspects such as furnishings with live edge tables and butterfly joining set new standards. The impact within arts and trades is not limited to woodworking yet it is among one of the strongest influences.
Today if you look at ink art it is difficult to not reach into Japanese history and expertise. Much of what we have in our modern ink art has borrowed from their past. Calligraphy is also within this same category.
Today Japan is host to a multicultural world which has filtered what the people desires. They then take those elements from the world to reinvent them and make it uniquely Japanese.
It is an amazing culture that has not lost its power to transform an idea and recreate it into something new.
As an example of this Japan now hosts the largest virtual art gallery. This virtual gallery is cutting edge for art that exists only within the virtual world.
The Western world is behind in this regard as we have yet to adopt to ideas of this nature.
Within the modern world we can see how Japan still is among the leaders of innovation within art and the ideas which push it forward. In time there is no doubt that they will play a role within what will be for young artists.