About Japanese Art By Explaining The Main Concepts (Term Paper Sample)

BA Japanese Art
Student’s Name
Institution Affiliation
BA JAPANESE ART
1 What are the functions of Jomon dogu figurines?
The Jomon period is purported to have lasted from 14000BC to 900BC. This is the period that succeeded the Yayoi period. Jomon is Japanese word which means rope patterned. The Jomon people were mainly hunters and gatherers, but they later came to adopt the cultivation of food. The Jomon period is divided into six sub-periods which include, the incipient, initial, early, middle, late and final period. During this period, the Jomon people developed patterns and pressed into clay (Mizoguchi, K, 2013). Dogu is purported to be ceramic figures which were made of clay and they represented a human figure. The Dogu was initially used in relation to agriculture where the Japanese carved figures of earth deity who was worshipped to provide bounty harvest. The dogu became more pronounced during the mid-Jomon period when Dogu's unique characteristics were created.
These Jomon dogu figurines had distinct functions that made them significant in the Jomon culture. The Jomon dogu figurines mystically changed and advanced following the Jomon periods. For example, the hollow dogu was common during the late Jomon period between 2000BC-1000BC. The Jomon Venus and the cruciform on the other hand were common during the Middle Jomon period. The dogu figurines received special treatment and the craftsmanship involved in their development categorizes it as special arts. The dogu figures are stipulated to be sculptured with larger breasts and hips as a representation of the concept of creation and reproduction in human birth CITATION Miz13 \l 1033 (Mizoguchi, K. , 2013). The figurine was used a deity of worship for the safe delivery of newborns. Some other dogu figurines were used as avatars for curing diseases and injury. The Shaman was another dogu figurine used by the Jomon people. The Shaman represented an authority figure that connected people to their ancestors and helped them to remember their ancestors through the performance of certain rituals. The Shaman represented the character of the ancestors.
2 The characteristics of the Japanese Buddhist sculptures during the Asuka period.
The Koreans and Chinese are purported to have introduced Buddhism in Japan during the Asuka period. It was officially inculcated into the Japanese culture through King of Paekche who sent an envoy to the Japanese Emperor presenting him with the Buddhist scriptures and the statute of Buddha. In accordance to the Japan history, the Asuka period is stipulated to have lasted from 538 to 710 CITATION Was03 \l 1033 (Washizuka, H., 2003). The Asuka period lies 25km from the city of Nara. It was named after Nara region. The Asuka period is deduced to have distinct origin from the late Kofun period, but it was highly affected by the arrival of Buddhism from China. The Asuka period is established to be the time when the early Buddhist culture from Northern Wei was highly prevalent. All the arts that ushered Buddhism inspired the Asuka period.
The Buddhist art during the Asuka period was divided into two distinctive stages. The first stage represents the arts which sponsored the Soga clan. The Buddhist sculptures in this era were known as the Tori-Shiki, and this was mainly influenced by the Northern Wei period in China. The sculpture mainly consisted of almond shaped eyes and crescent-shaped lips that turned upwards. Asuka Daibutsu is another Japanese sculpture developed during the Asuka period. The Daibutsu was highly pronounced during the Shaka Triad CITATION Sha03 \l 1033 (Shatzman, 2003). Asuka Daibutsu displayed holes on either side of the pedestal to accommodate the flaking bodhisattva. The sculptures developed during this period reflected the Chinese Northern Qi dynasty styles. The sculptures produced during this stage are established to consist of four guardian figures which stand sentry to the quadrants surrounding the Shaka Triad. The sculptures were made out of wood combined with some gold and polychrome. Kunara Kannon is another sculpture developed during the Asuka period. The sculpture was linked to the Paekche kingdom of Korea. It was mainly carved from camphor wood. The second stage of the Buddhist art during the Asuka period is the Hakuho culture which emerged in the mid-7th century. This stage is also known as the Taika reforms CITATION Sha03 \l 1033 (Shatzman, 2003). Miroku Buddha is one of the significant works developed by the Hakuho culture. The Yakushi Triad is one of the famous treasures developed during this period. The Buddhism sculptures made during the Asuka period were made out of bronze or camphor wood.
3 How is the influence of Tang Period aesthetics felt in the sculpture and painting of the Nara period?
The Tang dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China which was preceded by the Sui dynasty. The dynasty came to an end in 907 when Zhu Wen, a military governor, deposed the emperor of Tang and he took the throne. The Tang dynasty was highly known for pottery and painting. The Tang dynasty was famous for the Buddhist establishment and aristocracy. During the Tang period, a huge temple called the Todai-Ji was built in Nara in a bid to house the bronze sculpture of Dainichi Buddha CITATION Ros86 \l 1033 (Rosenfield, J., 1986). The Nara period was mainly characterized by the religious paintings that adorned their temples. The Nara period has been recognized for its significant contributions to the art sculpture rather than painting.
When the Japanese were under the Kokubuji system, there was huge production of the Buddhist statutes and implements of the Tang dynasty. Some of the sculptures featured in the Nara period from the Tang dynasty include the rounder and fleshier which were embroidered with a sense of elegance and movement. The early Nara period illustrates the naturalistic styles of art which emerged from the Tang dynasty. The Triad in the Yakushi temple which was developed during the Nara period has also incorporated the Chinese anatomical and realistic drapery. The collection of art incorporated during the Nara period is stipulated to have been incorporated from the Tang dynasty CITATION Ros86 \l 1033 (Rosenfield, J., 1986). These art collections are established to be incorporated in the Shoso-in currently known as the Todai-Ji temple.
4. What were the distinctive narrative characteristics that have been associated with the art of Emaki?
Emaki is a Japanese art which is also called Emakimomo. The emaki art was painted in 735. Some of the arts presented in the emaki art are the Genji Monogatari emaki which has distinctly been described in the tale of Genji CITATION Koj93 \l 1033 (Kojiro, N., 1993). The Japanese arts come in a variety of forms, however, the emaki has distinct characteristic that, and it is suited for narrative paintings. The emaki art is purported to have originated from China, where it was used to depict stories of historical events. The art spread to Japan through the adoption of Buddhism. The emaki was a narrative scroll which was made from a paper or silk. The scroll was attached to a wooden dowel at the left end then rolled up for proper storage on the shelves.
The Japanese emaki arts used diagonal lines of buildings and slanting spaces which were used to restrict focus to certain features. The emaki Japanese arts influenced the development of woodblock prints. The emaki art was used to depict the local life and landscape which signified the native Japanese subject matter CITATION Koj93 \l 1033 (Kojiro, N., 1993). The tale of Genji is one of the narrative arts developed by the emaki arts. Other narratives which developed from emaki arts include the shigisan engi emaki and the Ban Dainagon ekotoba. Reading an emaki narrative provided a cinematic experience as the viewer scrolls from right to left. The long and expansive format provided by the emaki narrative scroll, provided a conducive scene by scene detail. Some of the beautifully inscribed emaki narratives were intricately painted and presented to the monks from the wealthy Buddhists temple.
Discuss the development of the emaki art in the late Heian period in their social and cultural contexts.
In 794 CE, when Emperor Kanmu moved to the Heian-Kyo hence initiating the Heian period. During the late Heian period, the horizontal narrative hand scroll known as the emaki. The tale of Genji represents the earliest the surviving hand scroll used by the Japanese. During the 12th century, emaki artists devised a system that conveys emotional content in the scene. After appreciating emaki arts, the Japanese developed a sense of self-confidence and appreciation of their own heritage CITATION Sor12 \l 1033 (Sorensen, 2012). Among the cultural developments that took place during the Heian period through the emaki art is the development of the Kara writing which facilitated the writing of Japanese language. The emaki art was also used in the development of poetry and other literacy forms which were used to indicate the rich native literature.
The culture that developed during the Heian period moved from the Chinese models and inculcated Japanese poetic scripts that incorporated their language and culture. The paintings developed during this period were mainly bright and opaque colors which reflected the Japanese themes of the Heian people. The emaki paints developed to illustrate religious themes such as the illustration of the actions of the vengeful deity. The evolution of emaki arts depicted different meanings, for example, the development of the tale of Genji illustrated the connection between emaki and literature while Emakimomo depicted the events of conspiracy in Japan during the Heian period.
1 Define realism to Kamakura period sculptures. Analyze how this style developed and illustrate its characteristics with specific examples.
Realism in arts is p...