Download Japanese Art 2017 - Sophia University Short

Sophia University
Summer Session 2017
ARZ 320
SYLLABUS
Course Overview
The course covers the history of Japanese art from the Jômon (early Neolithic) to the end of the Edo period (mid-19th century) in chronological order. The emphasis is on sculpture and painting, but other
types of decorative arts such as ceramics and lacquer ware are introduced where necessary. Classes are
designed to enable the students to obtain a full understanding of the major trends in Japanese art and
knowledge of the important works. Lectures consist mainly of the discussion of stylistic evolutions,
technical development, religious, foreign, social, and historical influences, etc. Slides are shown to illustrate the respective topics.
Explanation of the Course
The periods are covered chronologically as shown below.
art history differs slightly from that of history per se:
Please note that the division of periods used in
Jômon period (c. 13,000 B.C. – c. 300 B.C.):
This is the early Neolithic period when Japan was still a hunting and gathering society. The period is
divided into six stages according to the style of pottery. Most of what must have been made were lost
over the many centuries, thus the course deals with those that remain: pottery and small baked clay figurines called dogû.
Yayoi period (c. 300 B.C. – c. 300 A.D.):
This is the late Neolithic period when the use of metal and cultivation of rice were introduced from the
Asian continent. The new theory that advances the beginning of this period by five centuries is discussed.
Pottery, bronze bell-shaped objects called dôtaku, and some Chinese works are shown.
Kofun (Tumulus) period (c. 3rd century A.D. – c. 6th century A.D.):
This is sometimes considered protohistoric and is mythological in parts. A cultural center developed in
the Kinki region, the Yamato state led by the ancestors of the Imperial lineage was formed, and further
continental influences came via Korea. Influential people built large mound-like tombs called kofun,
which were accompanied by baked hollow clay figurines called haniwa. Different objects were buried in
the tombs (bronze mirrors, armor, pottery, glassware etc.). Some Chinese and Korean works are also
shown for reference.
Asuka period (538 – 645):
In 538, Buddhism was formally introduced to Japan from Paekche, a Korean kingdom. A simple explanation of Buddhism and the divinities is given during class. At this stage, the Japanese tried to copy and
assimilate the styles of Chinese Buddhist art of the Six Dynasties Period (265 – 581) that came via Korea.
Representative examples of Asuka period Buddhist sculpture such as those found in Hôryûji and Chinese
examples that are sources of such works are shown in class.
Hakuhô period (645 – 710):
645 marked the implementation of the Taika Reformation, modeled after the centralized system of government of the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907) in China. The Japanese began to send envoys directly to China,
and thus new Chinese influences of the later part of the Six Dynasties Period to the Sui Dynasty (581 –
618) started to arrive more rapidly. This can be seen in the dramatic development of styles of Buddhist
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sculpture and painting, of which the representative examples are covered in class.
examples are also shown as references.
Chinese and Korean
Nara (or Tempyô, 710 – 794):
This period experienced an even stronger influence from Tang Dynasty (618 – 907) of China. The new
capital Heijôkyô (present-day Nara), founded in 710, was modeled after the chess board-like Chinese city
plan. Buddhist temples were built not only in and near the capital but also in all the provinces, as the
Yamato state secured control throughout Japan. The course shows the influence of the naturalistic style
of Tang Chinese art on the style of sculpture produced in this period. The Buddhist sculpture using various materials (dry lacquer, clay etc.) from Tôdaiji etc. and painting are introduced. Further, the treasures (lacquer ware, glassware etc.) stored in the Shôsôin Repository are shown, together with Sassanian
Persian and Tang Chinese works as reference to understand the cosmopolitan nature of these objects.
Early Heian period (794 – 894):
The capital was moved to Heiankyô (present-day Kyoto) in 794. Esoteric Buddhism, a mystic and newer
type of belief, was introduced and popularized. The basic concept and divinities of Esoteric Buddhism
will be explained in class. Temples were not allowed to be built inside the capital in this period, so many
were founded instead in the surrounding mountains. A voluminous and massive style of sculpture became popular, influenced by the full-bodied later Tang style and the popular technique of making sculpture mainly from one block of wood. The art of Shinto, the native belief of Japan, finally began under the
concept of honchi suijaku, which assimilated Buddhism and Shintoism. Representative examples of
sculpture are shown to understand the stylistic development within the period, together with Chinese
examples. Some Esoteric Buddhist paintings are also introduced.
Late Heian period (894 – 1192):
In 894, the government decided to discontinue sending official envoys to Tang China. A clan of noblemen called the Fujiwara was active in politics as regents in the former part of this period, and cloistered
emperors thrived in the latter while the warrior class gradually gained power. Partly because comparatively less foreign influence arrived, the so-called “native” style flourished in various fields such as the
visual arts (yamatoe in painting) and literature. The culture was led by the nobility, who enjoyed a
highly sophisticated form of beauty. Esoteric Buddhism continued to flourish, but other religious impacts were the belief in mappô (the latter days of the Laws of Buddhism), wish to be reborn in the paradise of Amida Nyorai (a buddha who reigns in the Western Pure Land), and the popularity of a Buddhist
scripture called The Lotus Sutra. Various examples of a new technique of assembling Buddhist sculpture from many blocks of wood, and painting etc. that reflect the exquisite aesthetics and beliefs of the
nobility are shown in class. Secular paintings in the form of narrative picture scrolls are also covered.
Kamakura period (1192 – 1333):
In 1192, a warrior named Minamoto no Yoritomo obtained the title of shôgun from the emperor and established a military capital in the city of Kamakura, away from the imperial capital Heiankyô. Trade
with Song China (960 – 1279) flourished, bringing along new influences such as the introduction of an
even newer type of Buddhism called Zen, a more realistic style of Buddhist sculpture and painting etc.
An important enterprise at the beginning of this period was the reconstruction of some of the temples in
Nara that had been destroyed in 1180. A school of sculptors called the Kei School, known for realistic
images, took the lead in reproducing the sculptures. Representative works of Buddhist sculpture and
painting and various types of narrative picture scrolls are shown.
Nambokuchô period (1333 – 1392) and Muromachi period (1392 – 1573):
The imperial court split into the Southern and Northern courts in 1333, the country was in a state of civil
war, but the two courts finally reunited in 1392. The title of shôgun was given to the Ashikaga clan, who
set up a military capital back in the imperial capital. Trade with the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644) of China flourished. The Ashikaga shoguns, who enthusiastically collected Chinese art, were also great patrons
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of various arts such as the noh theater, ink painting, temple building etc. The influence of Zen on the
arts such as garden making and the development of ink painting is discussed and examples covered.
Chinese ink paintings are shown as reference.
Momoyama period (1573 – 1615):
After the Ashikaga shogunate ended in 1573, the warlord Oda Nobunaga became the leading political
power, followed by his retainer Toyotomi Hideyoshi. There are several theories as to when this period
ends in art history, but 1615 that marks the elimination of the Toyotomi clan is used here. Many arts,
such as the tea ceremony, thrived in this period. Large decorative paintings done in a bold and dramatic
style on folding and sliding screens were popular, and numerous subjects were depicted such as themes
taken from classical Japanese literature, namban paintings showing Europeans, rakuchû rakugai paintings showing the city of Kyoto, genre painting etc. Both the Chinese ink painting style and the native
yamatoe style continued to flourish. Late Muromachi decorative screens, works by the most prominent
Kanô School of painters, new type of yamatoe (later called Rimpa) set forth by Hon’ami Kôetsu and Tawaraya Sôtatsu, as well as other representative works are shown in class. Items related to the tea ceremony are also introduced.
Edo period (1615 – 1868):
In regular Japanese history, the Edo period starts in 1603 when the new shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu founded the military capital in the city of Edo. However, the Momoyama style of art continued to around 1630.
Japan enjoyed about 250 years of peace, during which various arts (such as the kabuki theater) culminated. There was not much contact with the outside world because the Tokugawa shogunate allowed
strictly controlled trade only with China, Korea and Holland, but the Japanese eagerly absorbed new
learning, which was reflected in painting etc. The course deals mainly with the different schools of
painting, for example the Kanô School (official painters to the shogunate), Rimpa (new type of yamatoe
started by Kôetsu and Sôtatsu), Nanga (new style of Chinese painting), Maruyama School (known as the
naturalists), ukiyoe (both hand-painted and woodblock-printed), etc.
Objective of the Course
The objective of the course is:
- the student understands and can discuss the major trends of Japanese art
- the student can identify the important works of Japanese art
- the student is familiar with the important terms of Japanese art
Schedule of the Lectures
21 Jul., Fri., lecture 1:
- introduction: explanation of the course, how to study, information on the final examination, etc.
- Jômon period (c. 13,000 B.C. – c. 300 B.C.): explanation of the period, development of pottery in six
stages (lst stage c. 13,000 B.C. - c. 8,000 B.C., 2nd stage c. 8,000 B.C. - c. 4,000 B.C., 3rd stage c. 4,000
B.C. - c. 3,000 B.C., 4th stage c. 3,000 B.C. - c. 2,000 B.C., 5th stage c. 2,000 B.C. - c. 1,000 B.C., and
6th stage c. 1,000 B.C. - c. 300 B.C.), development of small clay figurines called dogû
- Yayoi period (c. 300 B.C. – c. 300 A.D.): explanation of the period, explanation of the new theory on
the beginning of the period, development of pottery in three stages, bronze bell-shaped objects called
dôtaku, examples of Chinese bronze objects
24 Jul., Mon., lecture 2:
- Kofun (Tumulus) period (c. 3rd century A.D. – c. 6th century A.D.): explanation of the period, examples of the tumuli, examples of hollow clay figurines called haniwa, metal objects such as bronze mirrors
(with various mirror-back designs), two types of pottery (haji ware and sue ware), glassware, etc.
- Asuka period (538 – 645) (1): explanation of the period, explanation of Buddhism and Buddhist divin3
ities, the meaning and layout of major buildings in a Buddhist temple, examples of Buddhist sculpture,
comparison with examples of Chinese Buddhist sculpture from the Six Dynasties Period
25 Jul., Tue., lecture 3:
- Asuka period (538 – 645) (2): continuation of Buddhist sculpture
- Hakuhô period (645 – 710) (1): explanation of the period, examples of Buddhist sculpture, examples of
Chinese sculpture
26 Jul., Wed., lecture 4:
- Hakuhô period (645 – 710) (2): examples of Buddhist painting and painting-like works, examples of
Chinese painting
- Nara (Tempyô, 710 – 794) period (1): explanation of the period, examples of Buddhist sculpture from
the early stage, examples of Chinese sculpture
27 Jul., Thu., lecture 5:
- Nara (Tempyô, 710 - 794) period (2): continuation of examples of Buddhist sculpture, examples of
Buddhist painting etc., examples of Chinese painting
28 Jul., Fri., lecture 6:
- Nara (Tempyô, 710 - 794) period (3): examples of treasures stored in the Shôsôin Repository (paintings, wood work, metal ware, glassware, textiles etc.), Sassanian Persian and Chinese examples
- Early Heian period (794 – 894) (1): explanation of the period, explanation of Esoteric Buddhism and
divinities, examples of Buddhist sculpture, examples of Chinese sculpture
31 Jul., Mon., lecture 7:
- Early Heian period (794 – 894) (2): examples of Buddhist painting, examples of lacquer ware ornamented with the makie technique
- Late Heian period (894 – 1192) (1): explanation of the period, examples of Buddhist sculpture
1 Aug., Tue., lecture 8:
- Late Heian period (894 – 1192) (2): continuation of examples of Buddhist sculpture, examples of
Buddhist painting, examples of narrative picture scrolls
2 Aug., Wed., lecture 9:
- Late Heian period (894 – 1192) (3): continuation of examples of narrative picture scrolls, examples of
transcriptions of The Lotus Sutra, etc.
- Kamakura period (1192 – 1333) (1): explanation of the period, examples of Buddhist sculpture
3 Aug., Thu., lecture 10:
- Kamakura period (1192 – 1333) (2):
scrolls
examples of Buddhist painting, examples of narrative picture
4 Aug., Fri., lecture 11:
- Nambokuchô period (1333 - 1392) and Muromachi period (1392 - 1573) (1): explanation of the periods,
explanation of Zen Buddhism, examples of Zen temple gardens, Chinese examples of ink painting, examples of Japanese ink painting
7 Aug., Mon., lecture 12:
- Muromachi period (1392 - 1573) (2): continuation of examples of Japanese ink painting
- Momoyama period (1573 - 1615) (1): explanation of the period, examples of items used for the tea
ceremony, examples of popular themes of painting
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8 Aug., Tue., lecture 13:
- Momoyama period (1573 - 1615) (2): examples of paintings by the Kanô School, Tawaraya Sôtatsu etc.
- Edo period (1615 - 1868) (1): explanation of the period, examples of painting by the Kanô School,
Rimpa etc.
9 Aug., Wed., lecture 14
- Edo period (1615 - 1868) (3): examples of painting by the Nanga School, Western-style painting,
Maruyama School, the Eccentrics etc.
10 Aug., Thu., lecture 15:
- Edo period (1615 - 1868) (4):
11 Aug., Fri.:
examples of ukiyoe painting
final examination
Other Activities
A field trip to the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno is scheduled in the afternoon. All students are expected to participate and write a short paper on the visit. Details of the date etc. will be provided in
class.
Textbook
No textbooks are designated. However, students must read the following books on reserve.
erence books will be mentioned in class.
Other ref-
- Ed. Ishizawa, Masao. The Heritage of Japanese Art. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd., 1981.
- Ed. Yashiro, Yukio. Art Treasures of Japan Vols. 1 and 2. Kokusai Bunka Shinkôkai, 1960.
Other Materials
Students are provided with an outline, list of slides, study guide to prepare for the final examination, visual material etc.
Evaluation
Students are evaluated for their paper (on the visit to the Tokyo National Museum), final examination and
class participation. The ratio is 30% for the paper, 40% for the final examination and 30% for class participation. The final examination will consist of definition of terms and essays.
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