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CHAPTER FOUR OUTLINE, “Art of the Non-Western World”
DISCOVERING ART HISTORY, BROMER
AT THE COMPLETION OF THIS CHAPTER, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO:
4.1
•Appreciate the diversity of artistic expressions from cultures around the globe.
•Identify similarities and differences in terms of function, materials, and design of the artworks from various nonWestern societies
•Comprehend the endless variety of artistic endeavors throughout the world
•Describe some of the multiple functions that art has in various non-Western civilizations.
•Understand how learning about the history and culture of various peoples increases an appreciation and
comprehension of their art
4.2
•Describe the impact of India’s rich mix of cultures
•Understand the influence of Hinduism and Buddhism on the nation’s art and architecture
•Identify the effect of outside influences on Indian artwork
4.3
•Discern some of the visual characteristics that unite the numerous discrete regions of China
•Understand how Chinese art reveals its philosophy regarding humanity’s relationship to nature
•Articulate the importance of writing in traditional Chinese art
4.4
•Describe the simplicity of form, awareness of nature, and overall sense of subtlety that characterize Japanese
art.
•Recognize the artistic implications of exposure to outside cultures
4.5
•Identify how Southeast Asian artists assimilated Chinese and Indian traditions into their own unique style
4.6
•Recognize the high degree of stylization in most Oceanic and Highland Asian art
•Comprehend that artist in this region create sculpture, fabrics, pottery, and architecture
4.7
•Discern the Islamic artistic passion for elaborate ornamentation
•Identify the stylized natural elements, abstract forms, and calligraphy in Islamic art
•Articulate the extent of Islamic influence throughout the world
4.8
•Understand that although there are three discrete categories of sub-Sahara African societies, their art shares a
common interest in design, materials, and function
•Discuss the relationship between spirituality and art in the societies south of the Sahara
4.9
•Discuss the types of art made be pre-Columbian civilizations
•Understand that pre-Columbian works differ from those in the Western European tradition
4.10
•Understand that each Native American nation has its own distinct culture and visual style
•Discuss the common respect for nature, the connection to the spirit world, and the proclivity toward the use of
natural materials in Native American art
ART TIMELINE (in sequential, non-chronological listing)
Quote: “Every country nourishes the arts.” Erasmus
10th Century India
The Descent of the River Ganges from Heaven
12th-Century Japan
Jizo Bosatsu
16th Century India
Two Men Converse in a Landscape
20th Century Melanesia
Painted Bark Cloth (at the Nelson-Atkins Museum)
1484 Shen Chou
Landscape in the Style of Ni Tsan
2nd Century B.C.-1st Century Indian
Stupa I at Sanchi
1632 India,
Taj Mahal
618-906 Tang Dynasty China
Glazed Horse
8th Century Japan
Great Dibutsu
12th-13th Century Cambodia
Angkor Wat
19th Century Laos
Royal Palace
1841
Hawaiian Crested Helmet
No date New Guinea
Male Ancestral Figure
13th Century Mongolian
The Battle of Alexander with the Dragon
19th-20th Century Ghana
Akua ‘ba doll
471 Mexico
The Aztec Calendar
500-600, Mexico
Stirrup Vessel
15th Century Peru
Machu Picchu
900’s New Mexico
Taos Pueblo
No date, Tlingit Indian of Southeast Alaska
Haida Totem Pole
HISTORICAL TIMELINE
Each section has its own timeline based on cultures and political dynasties.
VOCABULARY
 Stupa
 Harmika
 Live rock
 Gopura
 Pictographs
 Oracle bones
 Calligraphy
 Sprigging
 Pagoda
 Overglaze
 Enamels
 Haniwa
 Sumi-e
 Ukiyo-e
 Wat
 Chedis
 Batik
 Totem
 Arabesques
 Mosque
 Qibla
 Minaret
 Madrasah
 Cruciform
 Cult figures
 Fetish figures
 Reliquary figures
 Corbeling
 Codices
 Mound builders
 Kivas
 Adobe
 Pueblo


Tipi
Petroglyphs
4.1 A MULTITUDE OF PERSPECTIVES
 Any art not related to the art of western cultures is considered non-western
 In non-western societies it has many purposes: magic, religion, status, politics
 It helps us to learn the history and cultures of other regions of the world
4.2 INDIA
 Dominated by Hindu and Buddhism
 1500 B.C. is the date and the Indus River Valley is the place of origin for this culture and what is now
modern Pakistan
 The Mauryan, Gandhara, and Gupta Era were all named for rulers
 The Medieval Period thrived from 900-1600 and was called the Pallava Kingdom
 The Mughal Period occurred when the Muslims invaded
4.3 CHINA
 Believed to be the oldest continuing civilization in the world
 The Shang (bronze era began), Zhou (longest dynasty and Taoism or “the way” began), Qin (the Great
Wall of China built), Han dynasties (pre-invaders cultures when the sil road connected from China to
Roma and these items began to be imported)
 Six dynasty era from 256-589 was comprised of Han, Tang (Golden age of art with paradise cults who
believed in a happy after-life and woodblock printing began along with large tomb figures), Song (created
glorious politics and it was the golden age of landscape paintings and Buddha transformed from a stiff
formal persona to one of relaxation), Yuan (the Mongols overthrew the Chinese but immersed themselves
in the culture of China and Marco Polo visited and began to trade at this time), Ming (the glories of
traditional China were reinstated and the rise of nature scenes and florals on scrolls and ceramics), Qing
(considered a barbarian society after the Manchurians took over and towards the 20 th Century, artists
were forced to work as common laborers to produce food, etc.).
4.4 JAPAN
 Inherent characteristics of Japanese art are simplicity of form and design, attention to beauty in nature
and subtlety
 Jomon and Yayoi cultures were the earliest that date back to 5000 B.C. and they have primarily
undecorated food vessels from that time
 The Asuka period is name so due to the seat of government being in Asuka where Buddhism was widely
accepted and Confucian formed the ideals of their government; Shinto became very popular as a religion
based on the worship of nature
 The Nara period saw huge growth in Buddhism and the building of huge temples for their worship;
furniture, paintings, pottery, lacquered wood and bronze were highly prized and collected
 During the Heian period the capital moved to Kyoto and ties were severed with China and the artists
started to make things of their own rather than influenced by the Chinese and horizontal scrolls were
painted telling of tastes, sentiments and nationalistic feelings
 A military government came into power during the Kamakura period and Zen Buddhism became very
popular
 During the Muromachi and Momoyama periods a warrior class ruled and they patronized the arts and
need for tranquil gardens began
 The Edo period saw a lot of internal political turmoil and many beliebed the borders should be closed to
European and Christian influences
 The Modern period saw the rise of Imari and Kutani porcelain
4.5 SOUTHEAST ASIA
 In Cambodia the ruler was the Khmer empire and temples (wat) paying honor to the “god-king”
 A country of islands, Sumatra and Java are the two main islands; Borobudo is a stupa that was built like a
mountain with levels representing hell, earth, etc.
 Burma and Thailand became known for their celadon pottery and a Thai version of the famous blue and
white porcelains

Vietnam, Laos and Malaysia were a blend of the surrounding countries and their artistry moved over into
the area of making elaborate bronze weaponry and batik fabrics were made
4.6 OCEANIA AND HIGHLAND ASIA
 This is a large area in the Pacific that had little or no contact with people outside their own island,
therefore their cultures and art are very unique to their own areas and are mostly masks, totems, and
figurines that are made out of wood
 Carvings on wood and objects like boats are used and tribes began to embellish human skin with ink
called tattooing to decorate people
4.7 THE WORLD OF ISLAM
 The world of Islam truly appreciated the crafts and decorated woodwork, crystal, bronze, textiles, and
weaponry
 The Arab culture prized small things since they were largely nomadic and symmetry and tranquility were
the types of design used
 Domes and minarets define the architecture of Islam and sculptures of any kind are forbidden (particularly
any human or God-like sculpture)
 Islamic painting was non-existent until Persia was invaded by the Mongols and the it looked very Chinese
 Islamic textiles of rugs and carpets are thought of as the most important art form in this culture
 The pottery became very elegant in form and very bright in color
 The Islamic lands learned to create symmetrical and harmonious designs from metals
4.8 SUB SAHARA AFRICA
 Below the Sahara Desert there are three types of societies: nomadic, sedentary farmers, and ancient
sophisticated kingdoms
 Nomadic cultures possess small art work such as masks
 Farming societies have masks, sculptures and cult figures that show social rank; fetish figures that have
magical or mystical powers; reliquary figures that are above the baskets of the dead ancestors
 The societies of Nigeria and the Guinea Coast have wealthier constituents and the art reflects that in
motif and materials used to produce art
 Contemporary African art was popularized by Picasso and Matisse who both liked the simple forms and
quiet emotions
4.9 PRE-COLUMBIAN ART
 The civilizations that flourished before explorers found the Americas can be classified in two groups:
Mesoamerica and Andean (see map pg. 131)
 Corbels were used for doorways instead of arches and temples were pyramidal and made of stone or
adobe
 Sculpture was often ceremonial with animal-human-god combinations
 Ceramics were beautifully hand built of terra cotta with slip decoration
 Metalwork was sophisticated and gold correlated to the sun and silver to the moon and all types of metals
were used to make jewelry, death masks, whistles, and ritual objects using many metal processes
 Fabrics were made of cotton, wool, feathers, or strips of hide and fur; weaving dates back to 1500 B.C.
 Mesoamericans trace their lineage to the gulf coast area of Mexico and are known as the Olmec culture.
Mayans, Zapotec, Toltec, and Aztec cultures arose from this area
 Andeans trace their lineage to the Chavin culture of the Peruvian highlands. The Incan culture developed
from this area
4.10 NATIVE AMERICA
 All participated in some sort of nature worship
 Architecture was based on the climate and surrounding terrain such as mound building, adobe, pueblo,
tipi
 Pottery was mostly functional but decorated with polychromes, stamps, incising, and engraving, as well
as burnishing
 Painting was begun as petroglyphs or drawings on rock formations to communicate
 Weaving and basketry were decorative as well as utilitarian
 Metalworking in copper since 3000 B.C. and silversmithing was learned from the Mexicans and old silver
dollars were hammered into jewelry and later shells and stones were added
 Woodworking was more functional but totem poles represented many things such as stories with
legendary characters, clan or group identification and social status