Transcript Japan Powerpoint Dec. 24 Leanne

CHAPTER 8: SHRINES, STATUES,
AND SCROLLS
The Art of Early Japan
JAPAN BEFORE
BUDDHISM
JOMON PERIOD (CA. 10500-300 BCE)
o Jomon means “cord markings”
o Describes the technique used to decorate earthenware vessels
o Society was hunter-gatherers but were settled
o Able to develop ceramic technology
CORD-MARKED POTTERY
o Incised lines and applied coils of clay
o Modeled, not painted
o A lot of applied coils of clay, striped incisions, quasi-figural motifs
o Used for storage, cooking, bone burial, ceremonial functions, a lot of
things
VESSEL
o From Miyanomae, Nagano Prefecture,
Japan
o Earthenware, 1’11 2/3” x 1’ 11 ¼”
VESSEL
o Intricately modeled surface
and partially sculpted rim
o Similar to Chinese
earthenware
o Extremely thick and heavy
YAYOI (CA. 300 BCE-300 CE) AND KOFUN (CA.
330-552 CE) PERIODS
o Interaction from China and Korea brought dramatic social and
technological changes
o Villages grew in size and developed fortifications
o Wet-rice agriculture provided foundations for social and economic
development
BANDED BRONZE BELLS
o Pottery became less sculptural
o Developed bronze casting and loom weaving
o Dotaku-bells based on Han Chinese bell forms
o Clay mold casting
DOTAKU (BELL) WITH
INCISED FIGURAL MOTIFS
o From Kagawa Prefecture, Japan
o Bronze, 1’4 7/8” high
DOTAKU (BELL)
o Simple line drawings of people
and animals
o No meaning
TREASURE-FILLED BURIAL MOUNDS
o “ko” means old and “fun” means tomb
o Named after the tumuli, pit graves covered by enormous mounds
o Were initially built by horse-riders from Korea
o Tumuli recalls Jomon practices of placing dead on sacred mountains
TOMB OF EMPEROR
NINTOKU
o Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, Japan
o Late fourth to early fifth century
TOMB OF EMPEROR
NINTOKU
o Largest tumulus in Japan
o Central mound takes the
“keyhole” standard form
o 1600 ft long, 90 ft tall
o Surrounded by 3 moats
o 458 acres
HANIWA (CYLINDRICAL)
WARRIOR FIGURE
o From Gunma Prefecture, Japan
o Fifth to mid sixth century
o Low-fire clay, 4’1 ¼” high
HANIWA
(CYLINDRICAL)
WARRIOR FIGURE
o Appear deceptively whimsical
o “hani” means clay and “wa”
means circle
o Adapted basic clay cylinder
into various forms
o Altered shape, emblazoned
them with ornaments, built up
the forms, and painted it
o A spiritual barrier protecting
the living and the dead from
contamination
MAIN HALL, ISE SHRINE
o Ise, Mie Prefecture, Japan
MAIN HALL, ISE
SHRINE
o Shrine of the sun goddess,
Amaterasu
o Associated with Shinto
o Thatched roofs and metallic
decoration
o Mortise-and-tenon system:
wallboards slipped into slots in
the pillars
o Two massive freestanding
posts support must of the
weight of he ridgepole (beam
at the crest of the roof)
MAIN HALL, ISE
SHRINE (CONT.)
o Golden-hued cypress columns
and planks contrast in color and
texture with white gravel on the
ground
o Roof originally constructed of
thatch which was smoked, sewn
into bundles, and laid in layers
o Smooth shearing produced
gentle changing contour
o Decorative elements enhance
roofline with chigi (ridge billets)
which were originally
extensions of gable rafters at
each end of the roof and
cylindrical wooden weights
placed at right angles across the
ridgepole
BUDDHIST JAPAN
ASUKA (552-6450, EARLY NARA (HAKUHO;
645-710), AND NARA (710-784) PERIODS
o The time when Japan’s ruling elite embraced major elements of
continental culture that had been gradually filtering into Japan
o Chinese writing, Confucianism, and Buddhism were established
o Followed Korean and Chinese prototypes closely
HORYUJI KONDO (GOLDEN
HALL)
o Nara, Japan
o Early Nara (Hakuho) period, ca. 680
HORYUJI KONDO
(GOLDEN HALL)
o Periodically repaired and altered
o Graceful but sturdy forms
o Main pillars decrease in
diameter from bottom to top
o Tapering provides an effective
transition between delicate
brackets and columns’ stout
forms
o Harmonious reduction in scale
from the first to second story
o Ceramic tiles as roofing material
(Chinese-like)
SHAKA TRIAD
o Tori Busshi (maker of Buddhist images)
o Horyuji kondo, Nara, Japan
o Asuka period, 623
o Bronze, 5’ 9 ½” high
SHAKA TRIAD
o Buddha with two bodhisattvas
o One of the main images in
Horyuji kondo
o Central figure is Shaka
(historical Buddha)
o Not a portrait
o Presented in transhistorical
guise
SHAKA TRIAD CONT.
o Flaming mandorla bears small
figures of other Buddhas
o Reflects the style of early to
mid-6th century in China and
Korea
o Elongated heads gave greater
attention to the drapery’s
elegantly stylized folds rather
than naturalistic modeling
YAKUSHI TRIAD
o Yakushi kondo, Nara, Japan
o Early Nara (Hakuho) period, late 7th or
early 8th century
o Bronze, central figure 8’ 4” high
YAKUSHI TRIAD
o Bhaisajyaguru- Buddha of
Healing
o Sculptor favored greater
anatomical definition and
shape
o Revealed drapery over
dramatic stylizations
o Bodhisattvas reveal long
stylistic trail through China to
fleshiness of Indian sculpture
o Original gilding destroyed by
fire
AMIDA TRIAD
o Wall painting (damaged)
o Horyuji kondo, Nara, Japan
o Early Nara (Hakuho) period, ca. 710
o Ink and colors, 10’ 3” x 8’ 6”
AMIDA TRIAD
o Buddha of immeasurable light
and infinite life
o Enthroned in paradisiacal land
and bodhisattvas
o Representation is simple ad
iconic
o Done in a process similar to
fresco
AMIDA TRIAD CONT.
o Smooth brush lines gave
figures substance and life
o Called iron-wire line due to
thinness and with a suggestion
of tensile strength
o Lines are red not black
o Chinese or Korean painters
DAIBUTSUDEN
o Todaiji, Japan
o Nara period, 8th century
o Rebuilt ca. 1700
DAIBUTSUDEN
o Means “Great Buddha Hall”
o Commissioned by Emperor
Shomu
o Part of an imperial attempt to
unify and strengthen the
country by utilizing religious
authority
DAIBUTSUDEN CONT.
o Housed a 53 foot bronze image
of cosmic Buddha
o Served as a administrative
center of a network of branch
temples
o Current building is smaller
o It is the largest wooden
building in the world
HEIAN PERIOD (794-1185)
o In early Heian, Japan maintained close ties with China
o From mid-9th and on, the relations deteriorated
o Court-sponsored contacts ceased
o Japanese culture became more self-directed
o Arts flourished
TAIZOKAI (WOMB WORLD)
OF RYOKAI MANDARA
o Kyoogokokuji (Toji), Kyoto, Japan
o Early Heian period, second half of 9th
century
o Hanging scroll, color on silk, 6’ x 5 5/8”
TAIZOKAI (WOMB
WORLD) OF RYOKAI
MANDARA
o Best preserved mandala in
Japan
o Diagram of the cosmic
universe
o 12 zones representing various
dimensions of Buddha nature
PHOENIX HALL
o Byodoin, Uji, Japan
o Heian period, 1053
PHOENIX HALL
o Houses wooden statue of
Amida carved from multiple
joined blocks
o Based on the design of Chinese
palaces
o Represented imperial might
PHOENIX HALL CONT.
o Light pillars on exterior,
elevated wings, situated on a
reflective pond- suggests
floating weightlessness of a
celestial architecture
o Name derives from its birdlike
shape and two bronze
phoenixes on ridgepole ends
A TALE OF LOVE AND INTRIGUE
o Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikubu is the most admired literary classic in
Japan
o Provides a view of Heian court culture
o Script is primarily in hiragana, a sound-based writing developed in
Japan from Chinese characters
SCENE FROM MINORI
CHAPTER
o Tale of Genji
o Late Heian period, first half of 12th century
o Handscroll, ink and color on paper, 8 5/8”
high
SCENE FROM MINORI
CHAPTER
o Genji meets with his greatest
love near the time of her death
o Bush-clover identifies the
season as autumn (associated
with the fading of life and love)
o Radically upturned ground
plane and strong diagonal lines
suggest a 3D space than being
depicted illusionistically
o Elevated viewpoint
o Flat, unshaded color
emphasizes 2D character
SCENE FROM MINORI
CHAPTER CONT.
o Rich patterns in textiles and
architectural ornament gives
feeling of sumptuousness
o Human figures constructed of
stiff layers of contrasting
fabrics
o Simplifies and generalized
aristocratic faces
PAINTINGS OF BUDDHIST TALES
o The stories belong to a genre of pious Buddhist tales devoted to
miraculous events involving virtuous individuals
o Several scenes in a long, unbroken stretch
o Miracles associated with Buddhist monk, Myoren, on a mountaintop
temple
DETAIL OF THE FLYING
STOREHOUSE
o From The Legends of Mount Shigi
o Late Heian period, late 12th century
o Handscroll, ink and colors on paper, 1’
½”high
DETAIL OF THE
FLYING STOREHOUSE
o Myoren’s bowl lifted a rice-
filled storehouse and carried it
to the monk
o Astonished landowner,
attendants, and onlookers in
various poses- grimacing,
gesticulating wildly, scurrying
about in frantic amazement
o Exaggerated each feature of
figures
KAMAKURA PERIOD (1185-1332)
o Civil wars in the late 12th century led to the end of the imperial court
o Minamoto family established the shogunate (military government) at
Kamakura
o Imperial court at Kyoto has no power
o More frequent and positive contact with China
DETAIL OF THE PRIEST
SHUNJOBO CHOGEN
o Todaiji, Nara, Japan
o Kamakura period, early 13th century
o Painted cypress wood, 2’ 8 3/8” high
DETAIL OF THE
PRIEST SHUNJOBO
CHOGEN
o Most striking example of high
level naturalism
o Finely painted details,
powerful render of signs of
aging, prayer beads
o Exhibits skill and style of the
Kei School of Sculptors
o Inlaid rock crystal for eyes
DETAIL OF THE BURNING OF
THE SANJO PALACE
o Kamakura period, 13th century
o Handscroll, ink and colors on paper, 1’4
¼” high; complete scroll, 22’ 10” long
DETAIL OF THE
BURNING OF THE
SANJO PALACE
o Illustrating some battles in the
civil wars
o Read from right to left
o Goes from a mass of figures
rushing to a slowed pace of
soldiers, horses, and bullock
carts
DETAIL OF THE
BURNING OF THE
SANJO PALACE CONT.
o Swift and violent staccato
brushwork and vivid flashes of
color
o Horse and rider serves as a
deceptive cadence (false
ending)
o It brings the turbulent
narrative to a quiet close
THE SAVING POWER OF AMIDA
o Buddhism and Buddhist paintings remained vital
o Pure Land Buddhism arose from the lower ranks of society
o They stressed the saving power of Amida
AMIDA DESCENDING OVER
THE MOUNTAINS
o Kamakura period, late 13th century
o Hanging scroll, ink and colors on silk, 4’3
1/8” x 3’10 ½”
AMIDA DESCENDING
OVER THE
MOUNTAINS
o Gigantic Amida appears to
move towards the viewer
o Bodhisattvas already made the
passage
o Grand frontal presentation of
Amida gives the painting an
iconic quality
o Amida’s halo resembles a
rising moon
CONCLUSION
o Early metalwork, Buddhist architecture, and basic painting formats
reveal Japan’s close ties with other nations
o But they maintained distinctive aesthetic ideals and preferences shown
in Jomon pottery
o Most distinctive feature of Early Japanese art is its great variety