GuideToArtHistory

FamousArtistsArtStylesandPeriodsArtMediumsAncientArt

IntroductiontoAncientJapaneseArtByArtHistory.net

ArtinJapancanbetracedbacktothetenthcenturyB.C.TheearliestpeoplestosettleontheJapaneseislandscreatedartinvariousforms.Japanesearthasbeenheavilyinfluencedoverthecenturiesbywarinvadersintroducednewartistictechniquesandstyles.Historically,theJapanesealsoborrowedheavilyfromtheChinese.However,asJapaneseartevolved,itdevelopeditsownstylesandtraditions.Japaneseartcoversabroadspectrumwithmediumsandtypesthatincludepainting,origami,woodblockprints,literature,pottery,sculpture,calligraphy,architecture,andmanga.

TheearliestJapanesepeoplecreatedstatuettesandpotteryvessels.By350B.C.,newimmigrantshadarrivedbringingtheirknowledgeofwheelthrownandkilnfiredceramics.Today,Japanesepotteryisamongtheworld'sfinest.TheintroductionofBuddhismtotheislandsofJapanbroughtwithitnewartformsthattheJapaneserefinedsuchasbronzecasting.TheJapanesealsoconstructedsingularworksofarchitecturesomeofthenation'soldestBuddhisttemples,forexample,stillexist.

ThoughelaborateandstylizedformsofarchitectureareacornerstoneofJapaneseart,paintingwasalsoimportanttotheJapanesesincethelateHeianperiodaroundtheyear1000A.D.ArtistspaintedhandscrollsandpanelstoreflectstoriessuchastheTaleofGenji.Paintingstylesoftenchangedasrulinggroupschanged.LiketheChinese,manyJapanesepaintingsalsoreflectcalligraphyaspartofthedesign.Landscapes,portraits,andscenesoflifearetraditionalsubjectsassociatedwithJapanesepainting.

TheJapanesealsohaverichtraditionofperformanceart.Music,theatre,anddanceareintegralpartsoftheJapaneseartworld.Manyoldformsoftheseperformanceartstyleshavesurvivedtothepresent.ForinstanceKabukiTheatreisstillacelebratedartformthatattractsvisitorsworldwidetoJapan.Folkdancesandtraditionalmusicisalsoperformedthroughoutthecountry.Drums,gongs,flutes,andstringedinstrumentsarehallmarksoftraditionalJapanesemusic.

WhilevariousperiodsofJapanesehistoryarefamousfortheirparticularartstylesandcontributionstothedevelopmentofJapaneseartandaesthetics,theEdoperiodisparticularlywellknownforitsUkiyoewoodblockprintsandartofthePleasureQuartersofKyotothatcelebratedthecourtesansofthe"floatingworld."ManyoftheseworksarehousedinthefinestmuseumsaroundtheworldaswellasinJapan.

ManyofJapan'smostancientsurvivingworksthatincludepainting,lacquerware,ceramics,pottery,sculpture,andotherartformscanbeviewedassuchhistoricmuseum'sasthenation'sNaraMuseum,theTokyonationalMuseum,andtheKyotoNationalMuseum.

SeeAlso:JapaneseGarden

Home|About|Sitemap|Contact|PrivacyPolicy|Disclaimer|LinksCopyright20132014BitterSoupLLCAllRightsReserved.