_Japanese Art _
By: Julia
Japan’s Art, all thought sometimes over looked has evolved through many
different periods. Its simplest forms in the Archaic period and last on its
more complex period the Ego Period. Even though some skeptics believe that
Japanese art can not compare to the art of the Greeks or Romans. Japanese Art
yet simple is refreshing and has left Japan with wonderful shrines, paintings
and traditions. The periods of Japanese art are the Archaic, Ask, Heian,
Kamakura, Askikaga and the Ego periods. Each Period has taken Japan to a new
level of artStarting with the Archaic period, Japan was a prehistoric
society where its art consisted of well crafted vessels, vases, and tools.
Most vessels and vases were constructed to look like they were surrounded in
rope but in reality it was part of the ceramic and clay pieces. They lived in
pit dwellings with thatched roofs on bamboo stilts. The Japanese did however
build shrines in this period. These shrines were consisted of many buildings
and were concentrated around a central axis. The symmetrical system was off
set by a gate and a building were only the deity could dwell. The most famous
of these Shrines is the Ise Shrine. This shrine is 55 yards by 127 yards and
is completely fenced in. The Shrine is also made entirely out of wood! With
the building of shrines the Japanese moved into a new period, the Asuka
period. The religion of the people changed to Buddhism which also changed the
focus of art. Bronze sculptures of religious figures (Buddha) sprang up. This
period was very short lived Still changing though Japan moves into the Heian
Period. The Heian period began at the beginning of the ninth century. The
Japanese weren’t just practicing Buddhism, they were practicing Esoteric
Buddhism. Japan also stopped communication with China, so the Japanese art
wasn’t influenced by China. Paintings began to take over the frames, the
scenes were viewed from elevation and dull colors and flat surfaces where
used. This style was known as Yamato-e. Yamato-e was greatly used for the
illustration of stories. This style was cold and lifeless. But things began to
look up towards the end of the period. Towards the end of the period the dull
large paintings were replaced with pictures full of curves, grace and most
importantly color The Japanese Art always changing and expanding mostly
because of the influence of the rulers. At the beginning of the Kamakura
period a new ruler took over Japan. In this period Artists emphasized on
realism! The realism was so life like even the simplest of details was
expressed. Also a more advanced Yamato-e style was developed with more color
and softer lines. Also with realism came a type of formalized religious art
where the figures of Buddha became more uniformed. Yet, civil unrest lead to
another change of rulers And with this change of rulers came the Ashikaga
period. Communication with China was restored and once again China had a huge
impact on Japanese Art. Yamato-e which was developed while China and Japan
were unable to communicate was diminished and hardly used. But Japan did begin
to develop the Tea Ceremony. The Tea ceremony was taken from China but Japan
adopted this ceremony and made it there own and added much grace and poise to
the event. One author said the purpose of a tea ceremony "is to produce
courtesy, politeness, modesty, moderation, calmness, peace of body and soul,
without pride or arrogance, fleeing from all ostentation, pomp, external
grandeur, and the magnificence." Basically, a kind of get away from the real
world and place of calmness and tranquillity. In Japan No two tea houses are
alike, they harbor the same philosophies and the same tradition but each on is
unique, one theme that is the same throughout all teas houses is the
representation of the love of nature. China may have started the tea ceremony
but Japan embraced it, added to it and made it their own, and still today it
is practiced. And last but certainly not least the Ego Period the period which
brings us from the end of the Ashikaga period to the present. I find that
Japanese art today is very flat and very symmetrical and balanced. For someone
who likes order and balance in life would certainly go for this kind of art,
very clear and crisp! Still today, the Shrines are being re-built the Ice
Shines has be re-built sixty times, its amazing to keep up with something for
that amount of time. But it still stands today. Just like Japanese Art, maybe
it didn’t make a huge impact on the world as a whole but it still survives
today
_Bibliography _
Kleiner Fred and Richard Tansey, Gardner’s Art through the Ages 10th ed.
Harcourt Brace College Publishers. Orlando 1996
Word Count: 785
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