Blog Post #9: Non Western Blog Exhibit
The Edo Period in Japan
The Edo Period, also known as the Tokugawa period, ran from 1603 to 1867. These dates represent the establishment of the shogunate, or military dictatorship, in the city of Edo (now Tokyo) by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1603, and the Meiji Restoration in 1867, which returned Japan to imperial rule. (Multiple sources all cite these same dates which I thought was interesting for an 'era,' which is usually loosely defined.) Britannica describes this period as the last traditional period of Japan, and "a time of internal peace, political stability, and economic growth under the shogunate."
As we've seen with previous periods in the West, times of economic and social stability evoke different styles and emotion in art than those where times were tough or governments were funneling money into the arts to keep them going. While this remains true through Japan's history, the country's ties to traditional values are much stronger than that of the West, and this bleeds through into their art.
The Great Wave off Kanagawa (also known as Under the Wave off Kanagawa or just The Great Wave) is one of the most famous pieces to come out of the Edo Period. While the piece isn't incredibly intricate or 'fancy,' the "hands" of the waves, along with the overall simple beauty of the scene have allowed it to be a popular piece to this day. Widewalls notes how The Great Wave represents 'the position of Japan during times of isolation.' While we generally view military dictatorships negatively nowdays, in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Japan, the concept wasn't that bad, as the Emperor still rules above the Shogun. And as we know, these times were prosperous for Japan. Due to it's island location, Japan was slow to adopt different ideas going on throughout the world, which is why many connect this piece to Japan's isolation.
“Art of the Edo Period (1615–1868).” Metmuseum.org, https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/edop/hd_edop.htm.
“Paintings from the Edo Period - Google Arts & Culture.” Google, Google, https://artsandculture.google.com/story/paintings-from-the-edo-period-kyoto-national-museum/WQVRQfwGvY1zKg?hl=en.
“The Great Hokusai - Why Do We Still Obsess over That Japanese Wave Painting ?” Widewalls, https://www.widewalls.ch/magazine/japanese-wave-painting-hokusai.
“Tokugawa Period.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/event/Tokugawa-period.
John, I really enjoyed your post. I almost chose to post about The Edo Period as well because of how intriguing the art work is. Pieces from this time leave me with a feeling of curiosity and a longing to learn more about their history and meaning. In my opinion, The Great Wave off Kanagawa deserves its recognition and value and is my favorite of the pieces you chose to showcase. Although it captures a fearful situation, the wave seems to be frozen in time and actually gives me a sense of acceptance and relief. I also love how Mount Fuji is hiding in the background and blends in with the waves.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteHello John!
I've always been fascinated by elegant Japanese art styles, especially the gorgeous painted kimonos. I would like to own one on my own. I also like to read Japanese manga art and watch anime because they tend to exaggerate, making expressive eyes and odd proportions. I've always wanted to visit Japan and dive deep into its rich cultural heritage. Japanese culture has a sense of dignity and pride, and the artworks greatly reflect it. I have also discussed Japanese Art in my previous blogs, specifically the exquisitely designed kimonos. I have attached the link below if you haven't read it yet. Thank you for sharing!
https://chrizlefirstanalysis.blogspot.com/2022/09/art-analysis-dyeing-art.html
Hi John,
ReplyDeleteI liked the art that you shared in your blog. I like the woodblock print that you shared in your blog, “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” by Katsushika Hokusai. I would like the painting better if there were no boats on the water that looked like they were going to sink, but it is still a nice painting, as it is a depiction of the powerful, constant waves of the water. I like how Hokusai used a number of white circles to depict the water drops that are being splashed around. He uses these circles to portray continuous movement, since the waves are continuously being tossed around.
I like the woodblock print, “The Fifth Ichikawa Danjuro as a Samurai,” that was completed by Katsukawa Shunkō. It is not one of the prints that I would consider to be one of my favorites, but I do like it. I like that Shunkō was able to convey emotion so well. Looking at the mouth and the eyes of the samurai in the painting, you are able to see that he is both sad and angry, which makes sense as he is pulling up his sword to fight. Even though the man seems to be distraught, Shunkō was able to make him look strong by using thick, vertical lines to express strength. There are a bunch of small, vertical lines on the samurai’s chest, as well as some thick, vertical lines on his legs so we know that he is strong.
The woodblock print, “Two Women” by Kitagawa Utamaro is not one of my favorite prints, but I do like how Utamaro was able to use a bunch of curved lines to express comfort and ease. There are a bunch of curved lines that have been used to depict the ladies' hair, as well as to create a depiction of their folding fans. Some of the outlines for their clothing, as well as for the designs on one of the lady’s shirt is also made up of curved lines that are used to show that the women are comfortable and at ease, as they are walking around, dressed up in their fancy clothing.
The woodblock print, “Kabuki Actor Ōtani Oniji III as Yakko Edobei” by Tōshūsai Sharaku is also not one of my favorite prints. I do not like it, because it looks odd, as the man is not proportional as a normal person is. I will admit though, that Sharaku did a good job at making the man look creepy and mischievous. I believe that he used jagged lines for the folds in the top right of his red shirt to convey turmoil and anxiety. He did this so we would know that the man is feeling anxious, while there is also a sense of turmoil that he is feeling, since he is going to be committing a violent crime. He is feeling this way, because he is afraid that his plan might not work out, and that he will be imprisoned.
I am also not too fond of the art that was completed by Utagawa Hiroshige, because as you had pointed out, it is way too chaotic, and it is only a painting of a large group of people. We do not have a good view of most of the hats and umbrellas that the people in the painting have, but there are some arranged in the painting so we can see that they are made up of circles. These are used to represent movement, as the people are either walking on land, or moving as the boats go across the water.
I enjoyed the last woodblock print that you shared, “Fine Wind, Clear Morning,” by Katsushika Hokusai. I like this piece of art because it is a depiction of a big volcano, as well as some trees on a nice, sunny day. I like how Hokusai used curved lines for the sides of the volcano, so we will know that we can feel comfortable and at ease, as we are enjoying the sight of a beautiful volcano.