The Art of Japan

Imagine that you are in a chamber, a Japanese chamber filled with hanivas. A long time ago Japanese Emperors and other rich and important officials were buried in a chamber made of stone that was buried in great clumps of earth. Hollow clay cylinders called hanivas were placed around the chamber to keep the bits of earth from going away. People have thought that in earlier times maids and servants were buried with their dead masters. The Japanese Emperors came from a long line of rulers which goes back about 2000 years. Jomon is the earliest culture researchers know in Japan. Joman is named for the lovely twisted rope decorations on clay pots made by people who lived 4000 years ago. The Jomon people also made small figurines. Ever since Japanese art was made a lot of people have been moved and copied the beautiful paintings. Interestingly people have been attracted to the beautiful paintings of Japan.

In the beginning of the Heian period from, 552 to 897, Buddhism was introduced to Japan from travelers, tourists, and visitors of China and Korea. Buddhism’s influence was only limited to close friends of the royal family, wealthy people and of course, the King and his family and subjects. Buddhism was only given to the noble class because of its strong beliefs.

Influence
During the ending of 400 BC new ideas and technology imported into Japan from China. Japanese people adopted the writing of the Chinese. Whenever the words from China imports into Japan the Japanese usually change a stroke or two. Prince Shotoku, the prince who ruled Japan from 593 until his death in 622, told and encouraged the Japanese to adopt Chinese ideas and technology. Shotoku wanted more power coming in from China to Japan because he decided that it would be better if there would be more power in the place he would rule in the future. He wanted and needed the power. The following year Emperor Kotoku and his subjects the Taika Reform, a small program which introduced Chinese ideas and technology.

Subject
When someone looks at Japanese art, the subject of the painting may not look realistic, but it does not need explanation.

A lot of paintings in Japan have beautiful back-rounds of mountains and valleys with streams and rivers going towards waterfalls while paintings have backgrounds that are just plain white.

When the Japanese paint or sculpt their god Buddha they usually show him or her sitting on or around lotus flowers. The background shows jewels and flowers dangling from every tree. Most sculptures are made of wood then painted into gold. But somehow the painting are never meant to be realistic. There is little detail and the painting may look dreamlike, someplace in heaven. Dots and lines formed most trees and mountains.

Art Forms
Japan has one of the most ancient traditions on Earth. The Japanese made many art forms. Drawing was one art form. Another art form was making boxes of all types such as stationary boxes, writings, brushes, and inkstone. Many people wrote poetry on beautifully drawn scrolls made of paper. Poets were very respected at courts that were owned by kings. The poets used calligraphy, or decorative writing, as an art form. The Japanese also made writing boxes, brushes, and inkstone. Japanese artists also made many sculptures. Most were made of wood, then painted in gold. The earliest culture, Jomon, made clay pots and figures and we can learn about their culture from these pieces.

Process and Materials
When the Japanese wanted to print a picture they would take a number of blocks depending how many colors there were going to be in the picture or paintings. On all the blocks there would be a different color. On the first block the carver would carve whatever was going to be that certain color. Then he would place a piece of paper and place it on the wet block. The carved image would come onto the piece of paper. He had to do that to every block, keeping the prints on the same piece of paper. When the Japanese made ink they would take lampblack, a black substance that comes from super hot pine needles. When pressure was put on it, it would make a long dark ink stick. Water was poured gently onto a rock and the black ink stick was rubbed against the stone to form ink. When people made ink they usually sat on a soft, puffy, beautifully designed pillow.

Japanese art has made people more attracted to art. The beautiful paintings and sculptures of this island has kept some museums full for a long time. Sometimes the Japanese adopt the art of other countries, states, and islands but the art of their own island is still beautiful.