Transcript Art of Later Japan

Art of Later Japan
Ashikaga Family = Shogun (generalin-chief)
1392-1568
Common Japanese Aesthetics
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Love of natural materials
Taste for symmetry
Sense of humor (lol!)
Tolerance of paradoxical/contradictory
qualities
*paradoxical: seemingly absurd
Muromachi Period
• Marked the ascendance of Zen Buddhism,
peaking the Samurai’s interest.
• Overcame Pure Land Buddhism, which rose in
the latter of the Heian Period (794-1185).
Ink Painting
• Ink paintings transitioned from a harsh style to
a subtle, Zen-like style during Muromachi.
• The subjects changed from Monks and
Teachers to Chinese-style landscapes.
• Landscape painted
by Bunsei
• Muromachi period
• mid - 15th cent.
• Ink on hanging
scroll
• Depicts
atmospheric
perspective
• The white is read as water,
illustrating the pure, lonely, and
serene spirit of Zen-Buddhism.
• Winter Landscape by
Sesshu
• Muromachi Period 1470’s
• Ink on Paper
• Traveled extensively as
a Buddhist monk
• Literati: a style that
marks the taste of the
educated class in East
Asia.
• Sesshu was NOT
influenced by literati.
• Calligraphy Pair by
Ikkyu
• Muromachi Period mid.
15th century
• Ink on paper
• A very free expression
of traditional
calligraphy
• “Abjure evil, practice
only the good.”
See any
similarities?