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Let's
look at Japanese paintings, or "Yamato-e",
as simply as possible.
The paintings of Japan developed under the influence
of techniques brought from China. From the Nara
Period (710-794) to the Heian Period (794-1185),
the particular quality of Japanese-style painting
gradually began to appear and was established as
Yamato-e (classical Japanese painting).
It is similar to the concept of distinguishing poetry
styles, Chinese poems defined as "Kan-shi"
and Japanese poems as "Wa-ka".
After that, Yamato-e continued to develop in a creative
way and planted its roots in the Japanese sense
of beauty, which became their identity.
In the narrow sense, works called nihonga(Japanese
paintings) are paintings done with traditional materials,
techniques and form; they are painted with brushes
and paints, such as India ink and mineral pigments
like rock paints, on silk and Japanese paper. Nihonga
come in various sizes and shapes. In addition to
paper sliding doors, folding screens and square
poetry paper being used as surfaces for painting,
they are also painted in the form of picture scrolls.
Then, what do you think of when you say Yamato-e
?
Juni-hitoe (Twelve-layered ceremonial robe for ladies),
Gosho-guruma (classic carriage), "Genji Monogatari"
(The Tale of Genji), "Makura no so-shi"
(Pillow Book), byo-bu-e (paintings on folding screens),
Shoheki-ga (paintings on paperdoors), design motifs
on objects in daily use, kimono, ougi (folding fans),
motifs of the four seasons, combinations of Snow-Moon-Flowers
and more. That is to say that Yamato-e is a sense
of beauty built into the classic Japanese lifestyle.
Yamato-e, first started in the noble society in
the ancient days, was
popular among the warrier class in the Edo epoch,
and spread to the merchant class and ordinary people.
It is a field of beauty which has national support. |
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by Nansei Sakagami
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