The formation of the tea ceremony (chanyu) as one of the greatest phenomena of Japanese culture took place in a very difficult, troubled time for the country, when internecine bloody wars and feuds between feudal clans made people’s lives unbearable. The tea ceremony arose under the influence of the aesthetics and philosophy of Zen Buddhism and sought to counter the mood of hopelessness with the worship of Beauty.
In those days, rulers from the military class and wealthy merchants, gathering for political and trade discussions, often took the opportunity to serve tea. It was considered a refined pleasure to sit at leisure in a quiet tea room, detached from the worries and worries of life, and listen to the sounds of water boiling on the brazier. The great teacher Sen no Rikyu elevated tea drinking to an art. He was able to develop the art of the tea ceremony in the way that he did partly because of the aforementioned social background that existed.
The tea room built by Sen no Rikyu seemed very simple and even too small at first glance. But it was planned in the most careful manner, with exquisite legibility, down to the smallest detail. It was decorated with sliding doors covered with snow-white translucent Japanese paper. The ceiling was lined with bamboo or cane, and the open texture of the walls was highly prized. The supports were mostly wooden, retaining their natural bark. In order to create the effect of a hermit's dwelling, all unnecessary decorations and excessive decorations were discarded when decorating the tea room.
Today, the tea ceremony is the most original, unique art. It plays an important role in spiritual and public life Japanese for several centuries. Over time, the ritual of the tea ceremony was canonized, and the sequence of actions and behavior became predetermined. Having already entered the simple wooden gates, the guests were immersed in a special world, leaving behind everything worldly and in silent concentration obeying only the laws of action.
Classical chanoyu is a strictly scheduled ritual that involves the tea master (the person who brews and pours the tea) and other participants in the ceremony. Essentially, the tea master is the priest who performs the tea act, and the rest are those who participate in it. Each has its own specific style of behavior, including both the sitting position and every movement, right down to facial expression and manner of speech.
During tea drinking, wise speeches are made, poems are read, and works of art are examined. For each occasion, bouquets of flowers and special utensils for brewing the drink are selected with special care.
The appropriate mood is created by the furnishings itself, which is surprisingly simple and modest: a copper teapot, cups, a bamboo stirrer, a box for storing tea, etc. The Japanese do not like bright shiny objects; they are impressed by dullness. D. Tanizaki writes about this: “Europeans use tableware made of silver, steel or nickel, polishing it to a dazzling shine, but we cannot stand such shine. We also use silver products... but we never polish them to a shine. On the contrary, we rejoice when this shine disappears from the surface of objects, when they acquire a patina of age, when they darken with time... We love things that bear traces of human flesh, oil soot, weathering and rain swelling.” All items for the tea ceremony bear the imprint of time, but everything is immaculately clean. Twilight, silence, the simplest teapot, a wooden spoon for pouring tea, a rough ceramic cup - all this fascinates those present.
The most important element in the interior of a tea house is considered to be a niche - tokonoma. It usually contains a scroll with a painting or a calligraphic inscription, a bouquet of flowers, and an incense burner with incense. Tokonoma is located opposite the entrance and immediately attracts the attention of guests. The scroll for the tokonama is selected with special care and is an indispensable subject of discussion during the ceremony. It is written in a Zen Buddhist style and in such archaic calligraphy that few can make out and understand the meaning of what is written, for example: “Bamboo is green and the flowers are red,” “Things are things, and that’s beautiful!” or “Water is water.” The meaning of these sayings is explained to those present, outwardly simple, but at the same time very deep in philosophical terms. Sometimes these thoughts are expressed in the poetic form of a haiku, sometimes reflected in an old master's painting, usually in compliance with the principle of "wabi".
There are many forms of tea ceremony in Japan, but only a few are strictly established: night tea, sunrise tea, morning tea, afternoon tea, evening tea, special tea.
Night tea begins under the moon. Guests arrive at about half past eleven and leave around four o'clock in the morning. Usually, powdered tea is brewed, which is prepared in front of the guests: the leaves are freed from veins and ground into powder in a mortar. This tea can be very strong and should not be served on an empty stomach. Therefore, first the guests are treated to a little different food. Tea is drunk at sunrise around three or four o'clock in the morning. Guests stay for up to six hours. Morning tea is practiced in hot weather, with guests arriving at six o'clock in the morning. Afternoon tea is usually served with cakes only after about 1pm. Evening tea starts around six o'clock in the evening. A special tea party (rinjitya-noyu) is organized for some special occasion: meeting with friends, holidays, change of season, etc.
According to the Japanese, the tea ceremony promotes simplicity, naturalness, and neatness. This is, of course, true, but there is something more in the tea ceremony. By introducing people to a precisely established ritual, it accustoms them to strict order and unconditional compliance with social rules. The tea ceremony is one of the most important foundations for cultivating national feelings.
Good afternoon, dear readers! I continue my selection of feature films about Japan that I recommend watching. Films, like books, allow you to become more familiar with the lifestyle, mentality and culture of the country’s inhabitants. rising sun.
Japan feature films:
1.Emperor, a joint film between Japan and the USA, released in 2012, genre - military historical, directed by Pitter Webber. The film shows the events that took place in Japan after the Second World War, when American troops arrived in Japan to restore order, arrest war criminals and determine the future course of Japan's development. The situation is seen through the eyes of an American general who was in love with a Japanese girl before the war. He needed to determine the degree of guilt of Emperor Hirohito of Japan in starting the war.
The film is interesting from a historical point of view, as it shows real events of that time. And Japan is presented not only as an aggressor country, but also as a damaged country - cities were completely destroyed and burned, hundreds of thousands of people were burned in the explosion of atomic bombs.
2.Shinsengumi, year of film production 1969, produced in Japan, directed by Tadashi Sawashima.
The film shows recent years rule of the Tokugawa shogunate. When a small detachment was formed from a group of free samurai (ronin) to protect the last shogun of the Tokugawa clan, the so-called self-proclaimed police detachment. This military detachment of desperate and brave samurai was led by Kondo Isami, a peasant by birth. The detachment was famous for its unsurpassed military dexterity in hand-to-hand combat and the ideas of the shogunate's victory over the imperial power.
On the same topic you can find documentary, which restores the events of that time and gives an objective assessment of the actions of the Shinsengumi detachment and its commander Kondo Isami. The film is based on historical events and the feature film practically does not change the essence of the documentary film.
3.Hidden Blade, produced in Japan, released in 2004, directed by Yoji Yamada. The genre of the film is drama, melodrama. The film takes place in the mid-19th century in the small principality of Unasaku on the northwestern coast of Japan. During this period, great changes took place in the country, the samurai were rebuilt in a Western way and mastered firearms and new ways of warfare. A conflict begins between the old way of life and everything new that is rapidly taking over the lives of the Japanese.
Against the background of the relationship between a man and a woman, the image of a samurai is unobtrusively shown, which consists of strict adherence to the rules of honor, dignity and honesty. After watching this film, you once again come to the conclusion that the stereotype that samurai are a militant class is wrong. In the words of the hero of the film, “for a samurai, killing a person is just as difficult as for anyone else.”
4.My rainy days, produced in Japan 2009, genre drama. The film depicts the life of schoolgirls practicing enjo-kasai. Everything changes when the main character meets a young man, a history teacher. This romantic movie tells about the development of the relationship between them. A very sweet and touching film.
5.Love on a special level— produced in Japan, film director Naoto Kumazawa, released in 2014, genre melodrama.
It all starts in high school, Kururuki Yuni is a high school student, smart, she has high grades in all disciplines except English. She is purposeful and smart, hides all emotions deep within herself and is therefore very lonely.
Young English teacher Sakurai assigns Yuni's daily classes. What made him do this? The desire to teach Kukuruki the language or the desire to take the girl out of her shell. But whatever it is, additional classes English led to a result that no one expected. The film is cute, all the actions take place slowly with minimum set words and play of feelings, beautiful actors, calm musical accompaniment. Designed for a teenage female audience. May seem a little drawn out.
6. I want to hug you— produced in Japan, film director Akihiko Shioto, released in 2014.
The sad and touching story of the relationship between the boy Masami and the girl Tsukasa is based on real events. The film takes place on the island of Hokkaido. One day, a group of young people playing basketball come to the gym, which was reserved for the same time by a group of disabled people. This event allowed taxi driver Masami, who had been playing basketball since school, to meet Tsukasa, who as a result car accident became disabled.
Tsukasa does not like being treated like a disabled person. Having survived the severe consequences of the accident and gradually returned to life, she became strong. Masami, in turn, is a kind and gentle person. Their relationship was not understood by parents on both sides, but despite this, the young people continued to meet. Realizing that the relationship between the young people was sincere, the parents also fell in love with Tsukasa. There was a wonderful wedding of a handsome young man and a girl in wheelchair, but life has its own way...
Hello, dear readers – seekers of knowledge and truth!
Today we invite you to touch the beautiful and talk about art Ancient Japan. In the article below we will briefly look at the stages of history that influenced the formation of Japanese art, and then we will dwell in more detail on each of its components. You will learn about the features of not only traditional types, for example, architecture, painting, but also about the art of battles, miniatures, theater, parks and much more.
So, the article promises to be interesting, and most importantly – educational!
Historical periods
The Land of the Rising Sun has a unique culture, embodied in traditional original buildings and temples, paintings, sculptures, jewelry, gardens, literary works. IN last centuries Such non-trivial directions as woodcuts, poetry, origami, bonsai, ikebana and even manga and anime are gaining popularity. All of them took a long time to develop, going back to ancient times.
Very little was known about this time until the beginning of the last century, because Japan was a rather closed country to the rest of the world. However, since then, numerous studies have been carried out archaeological excavations the finds of which are amazing. They show that already in the second millennium BC there was a cultural Japanese society, and primitive tribes lived on the islands 15-12 thousand years ago.
Japanese culture began to take shape around the 4th millennium BC, but reached its peak of development in the Middle Ages - from the 6th to the 18th centuries.
Ancient Japanese history begins with prehistoric times and ends with the Heian stage in the 8th-9th centuries, although many researchers also include later periods here. In this regard, three large stages are distinguished, which, in turn, are divided into smaller periods, or Jidai. Each of them is characterized by the emergence of new products, structures, and styles.
- Primitive communal system
Primitive society in Japan existed during the Neolithic era, when people developed the first stone tools, and also during the Jomon and Yayoi periods. Jomon is believed to have lasted from the 10th millennium to the 4th century BC. Then the first ceramic products began to appear, which had the same name as the entire era - Jomon.
Clay vessel from the Jomon era
These vessels were asymmetrical in shape and had traditional twisted rope designs. It is believed that they were used in various rituals and ceremonies. At the same time, various types of jewelry appeared - earrings, bracelets and necklaces made of clay, animal teeth, shells, stones, and crystal.
Clay earrings and bracelets from the Jomon period
In the 3rd century BC, the Yayoi era began, which lasted six centuries. Then local residents They learned to grow rice crops, took up agriculture, continued to master the craft of ceramics, and also began to smelt metals, among which the most important was iron, made weapons from copper and bells from bronze.
Bronze dotaku bell, end of the Yayoi era
- Formation of the state. Japanese statehood began to take shape from the 4th to the 8th centuries. This time is known as the Kofun and Yamato periods. Then a whole network of burial mounds appeared in the country, and Japan itself began to draw closer to the Celestial Empire, inevitably adopting religion - and with it - architecture and sculpture. The most important building of the era is Horyu-ji, represented by a five-tiered pagoda. Special clay sculptures called “haniwa” began to be installed near the mounds.
Horyu-ji, Japan
- Establishment of laws. This stage falls on the Nara (8th century) and Heian (late 8th-12th centuries) periods. At that moment, the Japanese became even closer to their neighbors - the Chinese and Koreans, borrowed, along with the Buddhist concept, also Confucian and Taoist, adopted metal processing techniques, methods of construction and design of buildings, new trends in painting. Architecture especially changed - simple Shinto shrines were replaced multi-tiered Buddhist stupas like Indian ones. In the homes of ordinary people, instead of bare earth, wooden planks appeared on the floor, and cypress roofs appeared on top.
Depiction of the Nara period in Japan
If we talk about later times, we can distinguish several more periods and their main cultural features:
- Karakum (XII-XIV centuries) – the emergence of samurai and martial arts;
- Sengoku and Jidai (XV-XVI centuries) - the time of European expansion into the world of the East, during which Christianity and Western cultural trends penetrated even into the Land of the Rising Sun;
- Edo (XVII-XIX centuries) - the rule of the famous Tokugawa family, characterized by the isolation of Japan and the development of cultural identity.
Everything that happened later is the New Age and modernity, and now, undoubtedly, even in relatively closed Japan, some kind of cultural globalization is taking place - the experience of Western masters is being adopted, and in the West, in turn, Japanese motifs are becoming fashionable. However, Japanese art has always had a special flavor and had features unique to it.
Simplicity, proportionality with the person, conciseness, natural materials, unity with nature - this is how one can characterize Japanese masterpieces, both ancient and modern.
Painting
Japan, as you know, stood apart for a long time, its borders were closed to other countries. When, with the advent of the 7th century, the Japanese began to increasingly communicate with their neighbors and establish connections with the continental world, they discovered paint, parchment, ink, and with them, fine art.
At first, it was distinguished by its extreme simplicity and conciseness: simple images were made on black or white paper, usually in one of three colors - yellow, green or red. However, gradually the skill of local painters grew, and largely due to the spread of the teachings of the Buddha, as more and more new paintings were created from the life of the Teacher and his students.
Pictures with Buddhist themes in ancient Japan
By the 9th century, Japan had already formed its own branch of painting, which was independent of the Chinese. At the same time, the role of Buddhism began to weaken, and religious motives were replaced by the so-called secular, that is, secular, which were especially popular during the reign of the Tokugawa family.
Shoguns of the Tokugawa dynasty
Kaiga, as the Japanese called painting, has become completely different shapes and styles, and nature occupied an important place in it. Since then, painting has appeared in new forms:
- Yamato-e is the main school of painters. It arose in the 9th-10th centuries and was supported by the Academy of Arts under the emperor. The works were rolled up scrolls depicting literary subjects complete with skillful calligraphy. There were two main types of scrolls: emakimono - many meters long, folded horizontally and often viewed on a table, and kakimono - folded vertically and hung on the wall. Usually silk or paper were brightly painted in the Yamato-e style, but later ceramic dishes, national clothes, fans, walls, and screens were increasingly used as canvas. Special attention was given to conveying the state of mind.
- Sumi-e - as an independent style, was formed around the 14th century. Its features are the use of watercolors and black and white colors.
- Portraits - became popular in the XIII-XIV centuries.
- Landscape - achieved popularity in the 14th-15th centuries, largely thanks to the spread of Zen Buddhism throughout the country, which is based on the idea of contemplation and unity with nature.
- Ukiyo-e is a characteristic bright painting on tablets. She appeared in XVII century and contained images of nature, famous Japanese geishas or Kabuki theater artists. A century later, this trend became so popular that it even won the hearts of Europeans - they began to apply this style in their own works.
Traditional Ukiyo-e engraving
Architectural direction
Initially, Japanese architecture was limited to the construction of ancient traditional houses - haniwa. They were created before the 4th century, and their appearance can only be judged from surviving miniature clay models and drawings, since they have not survived to this day.
The life and everyday life of ordinary people took place here. These were a kind of dugouts, covered with a straw canopy on top. It was supported by special wooden frames.
Later, takayuka appeared - an analogue of granaries. They also consisted of special support beams, which made it possible to save the crop from natural disasters and pests.
Around the same time, in the 1st-3rd centuries, temples began to appear ancient religion Shinto in honor of the deities who patronize the forces of nature. They were most often built from untreated and unpainted cypress and had a laconic rectangular shape.
The thatched or pine roof was gable, and the structures themselves were built on pillars surrounded by pavilions. Another characteristic feature of Shinto shrines is the U-shaped gate at the entrance.
In Shinto, there is a law of renewal: every twenty years the temple was destroyed, and almost exactly the same, but new, was built in the same place.
The most famous such temple is called Ise. It was first built at the beginning of the 1st millennium and, according to tradition, was constantly rebuilt. Ise consists of two similar complexes located slightly apart from each other: the first is dedicated to the forces of the sun, the second to the deity of fertility.
From the 6th century in the Land of the Rising Sun it begins to spread Buddhist teachings, which came from China and Korea, and with it the principles of building Buddhist temples. At first they presented Chinese copies, but later a special, truly Japanese style began to be traced in temple architecture.
The structures were built asymmetrically, as if merging with nature. Laconicism and clarity of forms, a wooden frame coupled with a stone foundation, pagodas in several tiers, not too bright colors - this is what distinguishes the sanctuaries of that time.
Many of them have survived to this day. Architectural monuments include Horyu-ji of the early 7th century with its famous Golden Temple and 40 other buildings, Todai-ji of the mid-8th century in the city of Nara, which is still considered the largest wooden structure on the planet. At the same time, Buddhist architecture is closely intertwined with sculpture and painting, which depict deities and motifs from the life of the Teacher.
Todai-ji Temple
At the turn of the 12th-13th centuries, feudalism began in the state and therefore the Shinden style, distinguished by its pomp, became popular. It was replaced by the sein style, which is headed by simplicity and some intimacy: instead of walls there are almost weightless screens, on the floor there are mats and tatami.
At the same time, palaces and temples of local feudal lords began to appear. The masterpieces of this type of structure are the famous Kinkaku-ji of the 14th century, or the Golden Pavilion, as well as Ginkaku-ji of the 15th century, also known as the Silver Temple.
Ginkaku-ji Temple (Golden Pavilion)
Along with palaces and temples, landscape gardening art began to emerge in the 14th-15th centuries. Its appearance is largely due to the penetration of the contemplative teachings of Zen into Japan. Gardens began to appear around temples and large dwellings, where the main components were not only plants and flowers, but also stones, water, as well as sand and pebble mounds, symbolizing the water element.
Unique in the city of Kyoto is known throughout the world.
Another type of garden is a tea garden, which is called “tyaniva”. It surrounds the tea house, where a special, leisurely ceremony is held, and a special path runs through the entire garden to the house. Having appeared in the Middle Ages, tyaniva is found everywhere today.
Sculptural direction
Sculpture in Ancient Japan is mostly associated with religious and ritual traditions. Back in the 3rd-5th centuries, people learned to make small figurines called dogu.
Dogu depicted people and animals, and given that they were found in burial mounds, we can conclude that they were placed in the grave along with the deceased - these were their servants who could be useful in the next world. Dogu were clay, bronze, wooden, and lacquer figures. Later, larger statues of deities were also created at burial mounds and Shinto shrines.
Dogu figurine
The arrival of Buddhism in the country naturally affected local sculpture. In the 6th-7th centuries, numerous monuments to Buddha began to appear. Following the Chinese and Korean masters, local sculptors began their journey.
By the 9th century, the sculptural direction began to develop even more, but the appearance of the Buddhas changed and they began to have several, up to a thousand, faces and hands. Most often they were made from strong wood, varnish, bronze, and clay.
Many beautiful monuments have survived to this day. For example, in the Haryu-ji temple a majestic figure of Buddha sits on a lotus flower, and in Todai-ji there is a whole ensemble of deities led by a 16-meter tall Buddha, which was created by sculptors Kaikei and Unkei.
Other types
Japanese art is multifaceted, and you can talk about it for hours. Let's talk about several more types of art that originated in ancient times.
- Calligraphy
It is called sedo, which means “road of notifications.” Calligraphy in Japan appeared thanks to the beautiful hieroglyphs that were borrowed from the Chinese. In many modern schools it is considered a compulsory subject.
- Haiku or haiku
Haiku is a special Japanese lyric poetry that appeared in the 14th century. The poet is called "haijin".
- Origami
This name translates to “paper that has been folded.” Coming from the Middle Kingdom, origami was initially used in rituals and was an activity for the nobility, but has recently spread throughout the world.
The Ancient Art of Origami in Japan
- Ikebana
The word translated means “live flowers”. Like origami, it was originally used in rituals.
- Miniatures
The two most common types of miniatures are bonsai and netsuke. Bonsai are copies of real trees in a greatly reduced form. Netsuke are small figurines like talisman keychains that appeared in the 18th-19th centuries.
- Martial arts
They are primarily associated with samurai - a kind of chivalry, ninja - mercenary killers, bushido - warriors.
- Theater arts
Most famous theater, the pride of all Japanese is the classic Kabuki theater. Details about performing arts in Japan you can read.
Kabuki theater in Japan
Conclusion
As we can see from the article, Japan is a whole treasury of masterpieces of art not only national, but also global. Since ancient times, which begin long before our era, the Japanese began to create and create beautiful things around them: paintings, buildings, sculptures, poems, parks, miniatures - and this is not the whole list.
It is interesting that the features inherent in the Japanese culture of antiquity can be traced in the creations of modern times - simplicity, conciseness, naturalness, the desire for harmony with nature.
Thank you very much for your attention, dear readers! We hope today you have learned a lot about such a mysterious and distant country as Japan. Join us - leave comments, share links to articles with friends - we will be very happy to explore mysterious world East with you!
See you soon!
He created his paintings during the Taisho period (1912-26) and early Seva. He was born in 1891
year in Tokyo, was the son of journalist Kishida Ginko. In 1908 he graduated from school, at the age
For 15 years he became a Christian and devoted himself to church activities, then Kishida
Ryūsei studied Western art styles at the Hakubakai studio under the guidance of
Seiki Kuroda (1866-1924), who was one of the founders of the Academy of Arts in Japan.
Already in 1910, the young artist began to exhibit his works at the annual
Banten State Exhibition. His early works, especially landscapes, painted
heavily influenced by and emulating the style of his teacher Kuroda Seika.
Portrait of Reiko
Later, the artist met and became friends with Mushanokoji Saneatsu,
who introduced the artist into the Shirakaba society ( White birch) and introduced me to European
Fauvism and Cubism. Kishida Ryūsei's emergence as an artist occurred in the first
decade of the twentieth century, when many Japanese young artists went to study
painting abroad, primarily to Paris. Kishida Ryūsei has never been to Europe and
did not study with European masters, but was influenced by European Post-Impressionism
was enormous, especially the work of Van Gogh and Cezanne. From the end of 1911 to the beginning
1912 he was inspired by the works of contemporary French artists, with whose works
I met him in Shirakaba magazine and through illustrated books. His early works are clearly
created under the influence of Henri Matisse and the Fauves.
Self-portrait with a hat, 1912
style: fauvism
In 1912, at the age of twenty-one, Kishida Ryūsei debuted as
professional artist, his first personal exhibition took place in
art gallery Rokando. In the same year the artist organized his
art circle Fyizankai to study and promote
post-impressionism.
Garden of the President of the South Manchurian Railway Company 1929
Soon the circle broke up due to internal conflicts after two exhibitions.
Around 1914, the artist abandoned Fauvism, his early style. In 1915
year, Kishida Reisai created the Shodosa group, in which his main comrade, student
and a follower was the artist Michisai Kono.
Path in Early Summer 1917
style: yoga-ka
From that time on he developed his own unique style great master, in Japanese
In language it is called "shajitsu" or "shasei", usually translated into Russian as realism.
The artist simplifies the forms, finds a unique flavor, all this comes from art
Cezanne. Although Kishida Reisai highly appreciated the art of France, he late period He
considered Eastern art much higher than Western art.
Road Cut Through a Hill, 1915
style: yoga-ka
Portrait of Bernard Leach, 1913
style: fauvism
Self-portrait, 1915,
style: yoga-ka
Self-portrait, 1913,
style: yoga-ka
Self-portrait, 1917,
style: yoga-ka
Portrait of a man
style: yoga-ka
Around 1917, the artist moved to Kugenuma Fujisawa in the Kanagawa area. He started
study the styles and techniques of northern European Renaissance artists such as
Durer and Van Dyck. During this period he painted his famous series of paintings of his daughter Reiko,
which combine almost photographic realism with surreal
decorative elements. In the early 1920s, Kishida Ryūsei showed interest in
elements of oriental art, in particular, to Chinese paintings “Songs” and
"Yuan Dynasty".
"Portrait of Sanada Hisakichi"
During the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, the artist's house in Kugenuma was
destroyed, Kishida Ryūsei moved to Kyoto for a short period, after which in February
In 1926 he returned to live in Kamakura. In the 1920s, the artist painted numerous
articles on aesthetics and history of Japanese painting.
Tea Cup Tea Bowl and Three Green Apples, 1917
style: cezannism
Still life, 1918,
style: cezannism
Two Red Apples, Tea-cup, Tea-bowl and a Bottle, 1918,
style: cezannism
In 1929, with the assistance of the South Manchurian Railway, Kishida Ryūsei completed
the only foreign trip of my life, visiting Dalian, Harbin and Fengtian
in Manchuria. On his way back home, he made a stop in the city of Tokuyama, district
Yamaguchi, where he died suddenly from acute self-poisoning of the body. Kishida Ryūsei
created his portraits, landscapes and still lifes until his early death at the age of
38 years old. The artist's grave is located at Tama Reien Cemetery in Tokyo. After death
Kishida Ryūsei two of his paintings Japanese Government Agency for Cultural Affairs
awarded the title “National Cultural Value”. In December 2000, one of
his portraits of his daughter Reiko with a scarf on her shoulders were sold for 360 million yen, which
became the highest price at auctions of Japanese paintings.
Japan? How did it develop? We will answer these and other questions in the article. Japanese culture was formed as a result of a historical movement that began when the Japanese moved from the mainland to the archipelago and the civilization of the Jomon period was born.
The current enlightenment of this people has been greatly influenced by Europe, Asia (especially Korea and China) and North America. One of the signs of Japanese culture is its long development in the era of complete isolation of the state (sakoku policy) from all other countries during the reign of the Tokugawa Shogunate, which lasted until the mid-19th century - the beginning of the Meiji era.
Influence
How it developed artistic culture Japan? To civilization significant influence had a separate regional location of the country, climatic and geographical features, and also natural phenomena(typhoons and frequent earthquakes). This was expressed in the extraordinary attitude of the population towards nature as a living being. A feature of the Japanese national character is the ability to admire the flowing beauty of the Universe, which is expressed in many types of art in a small country.
The artistic culture of Japan was created under the influence of Buddhism, Shintoism and Confucianism. These same directions influenced its further development.
Old times
Agree, Japan's artistic culture is magnificent. Shintoism has its roots in ancient times. Buddhism, although it appeared before our era, began to spread only from the fifth century. The Heian period (8th-12th centuries) is considered the golden era of Japanese statehood. During the same period, the pictorial culture of this country reached its highest point.
Confucianism appeared in the 13th century. At this stage, the separation of the philosophy of Confucius and Buddhism occurred.
Hieroglyphs
The image of Japanese artistic culture is embodied in a unique verse called. This country also has a highly developed art of calligraphy, which, according to legend, arose from heavenly divine images. It was they who breathed life into writing, so the population is sensitive to every sign in spelling.
There are rumors that it was hieroglyphs that gave Japanese culture, since from them the images surrounding the inscription emerged. A little later, a strong combination of elements of painting and poetry in one work began to be observed.
If you study a Japanese scroll, you will find that the work contains two types of symbols. These are signs of writing - seals, poems, colophenes, as well as paintings. At the same time, Kabuki theater gained great popularity. A different type of theater - No - is preferred mainly by military personnel. their severity and cruelty had a strong influence on Noh.
Painting
Artistic culture has been studied by many specialists. Kaiga painting, which in Japanese means drawing or painting, played a huge role in its development. This art is regarded as the oldest type of painting in the state, which is determined by a huge number of solutions and forms.
In it, nature occupies a special place, which defines the sacred principle. The division of painting into sumi-e and yamato-e has existed since the tenth century. The first style developed closer to the fourteenth century. It is a kind of monochrome watercolor. Yamato-e are horizontally folded scrolls that were commonly used in the design of works of literature.
A little later, in the 17th century, printing on tablets - ukiyo-e - appeared in the country. Masters depicted landscapes, geishas, famous actors Kabuki theater. This type of painting had a strong influence on the art of Europe in the 18th century. The emerging trend was called “Japanism”. In the Middle Ages, Japanese culture went beyond the country's borders - it began to be used in the design of stylish and fashionable interiors around the world.
Calligraphy
Oh, how beautiful the artistic culture of Japan is! The achievement of harmony with nature can be seen in every segment of it. What is modern japanese calligraphy? It is called shodo (“the path of notification”). Calligraphy, like writing, is a compulsory discipline. Scientists have found that this art came there at the same time as Chinese writing.
By the way, in ancient times a person’s culture was judged by his level of calligraphy. Today there is large number writing styles, and they are developed by Buddhist monks.
Sculpture
How did Japanese culture emerge? We will study the development and types of this area of human activity in as much detail as possible. Sculpture is the oldest type of art in Japan. In ancient times, the people of this country made figurines of idols and dishes from ceramics. Then people began to install haniwa sculptures made from baked clay on the graves.
The development of sculptural craft in modern Japanese culture is associated with the spread of Buddhism in the state. One of the most ancient representatives of Japanese monuments is considered to be the statue of Buddha Amitabha, made of wood, located in the Zenko-ji Temple.
The sculptures were very often made from beams, but they looked very rich: the craftsmen covered them with varnish, gold and bright colors.
Origami
Do you like Japanese artistic culture? Understanding harmony with nature will bring unforgettable impressions. Amazing origami (“folded paper”) products have become a characteristic feature of Japanese culture. This skill owes its origin to China, where, in fact, parchment was invented.
At first, “folded paper” was used in religious rituals. This art could only be studied by the upper class. But after World War II, origami left the homes of nobles and found its admirers all over the Earth.
Ikebana
Every person should know what the artistic culture of the Eastern countries is. Japan has put a lot of work into its development. Another component of this culture amazing country is ikebana (“live flowers”, “new life of flowers”). The Japanese are fans of aesthetics and simplicity. These two qualities are put into the works. The sophistication of the images is achieved through the beneficial use of the natural beauty of vegetation. Ikebana, like origami, also served as part of a religious ceremony.
Miniatures
Probably many have already realized that artistic culture Ancient China and Japan are closely intertwined. What is bonsai? This is a unique Japanese ability to cultivate an almost exact miniature copy of a real tree.
In Japan, it is also common to make netsuke - small sculptures that are a kind of keychain. Often such figures were attached in this capacity to Japanese clothes, which did not have pockets. They not only decorated it, but also served as a unique counterweight. Key rings were made in the form of a key, pouch, or wicker basket.
History of painting
The artistic culture of Ancient Japan interests many people. Painting in this country originated during the Japanese Paleolithic period and developed as follows:
- Yamato period. During the time of Asuka and Kofun (IV-VII centuries), simultaneously with the introduction of hieroglyphs, the creation of a state regime based on the Chinese model and the popularization of Buddhism, many works of art were brought to Japan from the Celestial Empire. After this, Chinese-style paintings began to be reproduced in the Land of the Rising Sun.
- Nara time. In the VI and VII centuries. Buddhism continued to develop in Japan. In this regard, it began to flourish religious painting, used to decorate numerous temples built by the aristocracy. In general, the Nara era contributed more to the development of sculpture and art than to painting. Early paintings This series includes paintings on the interior walls of the Horyu-ji Temple in Nara Prefecture, telling the story of the life of Buddha Shakyamuni.
- Heian era. In Japanese painting, starting from the 10th century, the Yamato-e trend has been distinguished, as we wrote about above. Such paintings are horizontal scrolls that were used to illustrate books.
- Muromachi era. In the 14th century, the supi-e style (monochrome watercolor) appeared, and in the first half of the 17th century. artists began to print engravings on tablets - ukiyo-e.
- The painting of the Azuchi-Momoyama period stands in sharp contrast to the painting of the Muromachi period. It is characterized by a polychrome style with extensive use of silver and. During this period, it enjoyed great prestige and fame. educational institution Kano. Its founder was Kano Eitoku, who painted ceilings and sliding doors to separate rooms. Such drawings decorated the castles and palaces of the military nobility.
- Maiji era. From the second half of the 19th century, art divided into competing traditional and European styles. During the Maiji era, Japan underwent great social and political changes through the process of modernization and Europeanization orchestrated by the authorities. Young promising artists were sent abroad to study, and foreign painters came to Japan to create school programs in art. Be that as it may, after the initial surge of curiosity about artistic style In the West, the pendulum swung in the opposite direction, and the Japanese traditional style was revived. In 1880, Western art practices were banned from official exhibitions and were heavily criticized.
Poetry
The artistic culture of Ancient Japan is still being studied. Its peculiarity is its versatility, some syntheticity, since it was formed under the influence of different religions. It is known that Japanese classical poetry emerged from everyday life, acted within it, and this down-to-earthness was to some extent preserved in the traditional forms of modern poetry - the three-line haiku and the five-line tanka, which are distinguished by a pronounced mass character. By the way, it is precisely this quality that distinguishes them from the “free verse” that tends towards elitism, which appeared at the beginning of the 20th century in Japan under the influence of European poetry.
Have you noticed that the stages of development of Japanese artistic culture are multifaceted? Poetry played a special role in the society of this country. One of the most famous genres is haiku; you can understand it only by familiarizing yourself with its history.
First appearing in the Heian era, it was similar to the renga style, which was a kind of outlet for poets who wanted to take a break from the thoughtful waha poems. Haikai developed into its own genre in the 16th century as renga became too serious and haiku relied on spoken language and was still humorous.
Of course, the artistic culture of Japan is briefly described in many works, but we will try to talk about it in more detail. It is known that in the Middle Ages one of the most famous Japanese literary genres was tanka (“laconic song”). In most cases, this is a pentaverse, consisting of a pair of stanzas with a fixed number of syllables: 5-7-5 syllables in three lines of the first stanza, and 7-7 in two lines of the second. As for the content, the tank uses the following scheme: the first stanza represents a specific natural image, and the second reflects the human feeling that echoes this image:
- In the distant remote mountains
Long-tailed pheasant dozing -
This long, long night
Should I really sleep alone? ( Kakinomoto no Hitowaro, early 8th century, translation by Sanovich.)
Japanese drama
Many people claim that the artistic culture of China and Japan is fascinating. Do you like performing arts? The traditional dramaturgy of the Land of the Rising Sun is divided into joruri (puppet theater), Noh theater dramaturgy (kyogen and yokyouku), Kabuki theater and Shingeki. The customs of this art include five basic theatrical genres: kyogen, no, bugaku, kabuki and bunraku. All five of these traditions are still present today. Despite the enormous differences, they are connected by common aesthetic principles, founding japanese art. By the way, Japanese drama originated on the stage of Noh.
Kabuki theater appeared in the 17th century and reached its zenith towards the end of the 18th. The form of performances that developed during this period is preserved on the modern stage of Kabuki. The productions of this theatre, unlike the Noh stages, which are aimed at a narrow circle of fans of ancient art, are designed for mass audiences. The roots of Kabuki skills originate from the performances of comedians - performers of small farces, skits that consisted of dancing and singing. The theatrical skill of Kabuki absorbed elements of Joruri and Noh.
The appearance of Kabuki theater is associated with the name of a worker of the Buddhist sanctuary O-Kuni in Kyoto (1603). O-Kuni performed on the stage with religious dances, which included the movements of the Nembutsu-odori folk dances. Her performances were interspersed comic plays. At this stage, productions were called yujo-kabuki (Kabuki of courtesans), O-Kuni-kabuki or onna-kabuki (ladies' Kabuki).
Engravings
In the last century, Europeans, and then Russians, encountered the phenomenon of Japanese art through engraving. Meanwhile, in the Land of the Rising Sun, drawing on wood was not at first considered a skill at all, although it had all the properties popular culture- low cost, availability, circulation. Ukiyo-e experts knew how to achieve the highest clarity and simplicity both in the embodiment of plots and in their choice.
Ukiyo-e was special art school, so she was able to put forward a whole row outstanding masters. Thus, the initial phase of the development of plot engraving is associated with the name of Hishikawa Moronobu (1618-1694). In the middle of the 18th century, the first expert in multicolor engraving, Suzuki Harunobu, worked. The main motives of his work were lyrical scenes, in which attention was paid not to action, but to the transfer of moods and feelings: love, tenderness, sadness. Like the exquisite ancient art of the Heian era, the virtuosos of ukiyo-e revived the extraordinary cult of the refined beauty of women in a renewed urban environment.
The only difference was that instead of the proud Heian aristocrats, the engravings depicted graceful geishas from the entertainment districts of Edo. The artist Utamaro (1753-1806) is perhaps a unique example in the history of painting of a professional who completely devoted his creation to depicting ladies in various poses and outfits, in various life circumstances. One of his best works is the engraving “Geisha Osama”, which is kept in Moscow, in the A. S. Pushkin Museum of Painting. The artist incredibly subtly conveyed the unity of gesture and mood, facial expression.
Manga and anime
Many artists are trying to study Japanese painting. What is anime (Japanese animation)? It differs from other animation genres in its greater focus on the adult viewer. Here there is a duplicative division into styles for a unique target audience. The measure of fragmentation is gender, age or psychological portrait moviegoer. Very often anime is filmed Japanese comic manga, which also gained great popularity.
The basic part of the manga is intended for an adult viewer. As of 2002, about 20% of the total Japanese book market was occupied by manga comics.
Japan is close to us geographically, but despite this, for a long time it remained incomprehensible and inaccessible to the whole world. Today we know a lot about this country. Long voluntary isolation has led to the fact that its culture is completely different from the cultures of other states.