Non-Western art Japan Edo Period 1603-1867

                       Non-Western art Japan Edo Period 1603-1867

This video gives a deeper view into the Edo Period, and the art that was created during it.

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/45434

The Great Wave off Kanagawa, by Katsushika Hokusai, 1831 Edo Period, Created in Japan, Woodblock print; ink and color on paper

Katsushika Hokusai created many other prints similar to this one, and called them the thirty six views. These are represent different views of mount Fuji. This is definitely his most famous piece and has become a iconic piece in Japanese culture. The first art element I noticed in this painting is composition. I really like how the wave in mount Fuji are both main elements of this painting. The composition of the wave is also very unique, the boat is being carried by the wave. This symbolizes how small and helpless people are in the face of a natural disaster. The next art element I noticed is the use of color. The blue tones used in this painting are very unified. I also like how the yellowish sky compliments the blue water very well. The last art element I noticed is the use of line. The sharp lines used to create the waves capture the wave about to break. This gives the wave movement and the feeling of reality. I like this painting because it show how beautiful nature is but also how scary it can be at the same time. 

https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/one-hundred-famous-views-of-edo-%E2%80%9Cplum-garden-in-kamata%E2%80%9D-utagawa-hiroshige/_wHvVUlqgZDRWw?hl=en

One Hundred Famous Views of Edo-"Plum Garden in Kamata", Utagawa Hiroshige, Made in 1857 Japan, Edo Period, Woodblock print; ink and color on paper 

Utagawa Hiroshige was a famous artist during his time and made many great pieces. One Hundred Famous Views of Edo "Plum Garden in Kamata" is not his most famous piece however I found it to be my favorite out of some of the other pieces I looked at. The first art element I noticed is the use of contrast. Utagawa Hiroshige uses contrast in this painting by making the trees a darker value compared to the sky and the ground. This makes the trees stand out and overall brings the painting together. The next art element I noticed is the use of light. In this painting the sky has a gradient from white to a darker pink. This gives the allusion of the sun setting or rising. It also allows for Utagawa Hiroshige to use shadows at the base of the trees, it is a small detail but I really think it makes the painting more realistic. The last art element I noticed is the use of color. Utagawa Hiroshige uses many bright colors in this painting like the pink sky, the green grass, and the hints of blue in the water and the blanket cover on the bottom right of the painting. I personally prefer these kinds of Japanese art that use these bright colors. I also just really enjoy how all of the elemnt in this painting work together and it gives me a relaxed and peaceful feeling. I can piture myself sitting in this garden and enjoys the outdoors. 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bungaku-Bandai_no-Takara-Terakoya-School-by-Issunshi-Hanasato.png 

  The Timeless Treasures of Literature(First Volume and Last Volume), Issunshi Hanasato, made betweeen 1844-1848, Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, Edo Period

"These works are a two piece nishiki-e (colored woodblock print) series depicting a class at terakoya (temple school). A male teacher teaches the class at "Shinomaki" (first volume) and a female teacher at "Suenomaki" (end volume). You can see that most of the children behave freely.

At terakoya (temple school) in the Edo period, not all students sat facing the teacher, the textbooks used and the ages of children varied and attending the class or not was optional.
Most children in the picture are not studying quietly. There are indeed many kinds of going on with some children fooling around with ink brushes and others punching each other or playing with dolls. Also from books behind the female teacher in "sue-no-maki" (end volume), we can see that flower arrangement, tea ceremony and incense burning were taught in addition to reading and writing.
This being said, the teachers at terakoya teachers strictly instructed morals, manners, and rules of decorum and there was a fixed set of rules in the class with punishments for excessive misbehavior whereby children were made to stand still or sit erect with legs folded." https://www.library.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/portals/0/edo/tokyo_library/english/modal/index.html?d=5375

            The first art element I noticed in these two paintings is the use of composition. In both of these paintings the children are in the bottom half of the painting and it is more busy compared to the top half of the paintings. This allows us to see the front and back of the classroom. The next art element I noticed is the use of contrast and value. The background of these paintings are a lighter value compared to the kids and teachers. This allows the students and teachers to stand out and be the focal point of this painting. The last art element I noticed in these two paintings is the use of color. The color palette of these two paintings are similar but also different. They both have the same shade range but the picture on the right has more warmer tones compared to the one on the left which has cooler tones. I think the warm and cool tones of each painting help the paintings compliment each other. Overall I like this painting because is very unique and I like that it shows more in depth view of two different environments.

How is this different from American or European art? 

Well the most obvious is the way the artist sign there work, you can see banners with the Japanese writings in these paintings. Also the clothing in the last painting is completely different from American or European cultural clothing. Another is the Edo Period also known as the Tokugawa period was the final period of traditional Japan. Art work from this period show a time of internal peace, political stability, and economic growth. 

Citations

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/45434

Hokusai, Katsushika. “Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa Oki Nami Ura), Also Known as The Great Wave, from the Series Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku Sanjūrokkei).” Metmuseum.org, Met Museum, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/45434.

https://www.meisterdrucke.uk/fine-art-prints/Utagawa-Hiroshige/172633/Plum-Garden-in-Kamata,-February-1857.html

Drucke, Meister. “Plum Garden in Kamata, February 1857 (#172633).” MeisterDrucke, https://www.meisterdrucke.uk/fine-art-prints/Utagawa-Hiroshige/172633/Plum-Garden-in-Kamata,-February-1857.html.

https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/edo-period-101/

Kaszubowska, Joanna. “Edo Period in 10 Words and 4 Schools of Painting.” DailyArt Magazine, 13 Jan. 2022, https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/edo-period-101/.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bungaku-Bandai_no-Takara-Terakoya-School-by-Issunshi-Hanasato.png

“File:Bungaku-Bandai No-Takara-Terakoya-School-by-Issunshi-Hanasato.png.” Bungaku-Bandai No-Takara-Terakoya-School-by-Issunshi-Hanasato.png, Wiki Media, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bungaku-Bandai_no-Takara-Terakoya-School-by-Issunshi-Hanasato.png.

https://www.library.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/portals/0/edo/tokyo_library/english/modal/index.html?d=5375

The Timeless Treasures of Literature [First Volume, Last Volume] (Bungaku Bandai No Takara (Shinomaki, Suenomaki), Tokyo Metro Library , https://www.library.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/portals/0/edo/tokyo_library/english/modal/index.html?d=5375.

https://www.britannica.com/event/Tokugawa-period

“Tokugawa Period.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/event/Tokugawa-period.