By: Cooper Irinaga
Background information: All art was created in Japan throughout Edo period (1615-1868). All artists seen in this blog are famous Japanese artists that make up a lot of artwork centered around this time. Edo from the Edo era was the city of Edo better known now as Tokyo. The time 1615-1868 is very important to this period because that's when the fifteen generations of Tokugawa Shogun better understood as the feudal lords of Japan were in power over Edo Japan.
Created by Shibata Zeshin in 1868
Origin: Japan
Fuji Tagonoura is a very well-rounded art piece illustrating Mount Fuji. I selected this work because one of Japan's greatest physical features is the mountain shown in this artwork. I also used this painting because it's a great depiction of how people viewed the mountain, with a lot of respect and intense vision. I really relish the contrast between the sky to the peak, but one aspect I think it lacks is the bright areas, I would like to see a bright area at the top of the mountain signifying the crest, I think that would be very memorable. This artwork was created through the inspiration of his master Maruyama Ōkyo who influenced him to create a work encasing Mount Fuji.
Created by Katsushika Hokusai in 1831
Origin: Japan
Hokusai created one of the most famous works of Japanese art in history, The Great Wave of Kanagawa. I selected this piece of art because this is the best example of an Edo-era art piece, this piece also does one of the best jobs of conveying the strong emotion of awe. We see this ginormous wave compared to the sailors which puts into perspective how much respect for the ocean the sailors need to sail. The mini shading done on the foam of the waves also adds some insane depth, the color choices are also magnificent. Lastly one of the greatest features of this piece is the shot of Mount Fuji in the background. One thing I would personally change about the piece is the lack of foreground within the image. This art piece is done very nicely, and the history of this piece is very important as well. This print is one of the first installments of the Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji which revolutionized Japanese printmaking. The wave is depicted as ghostly, threatening the sailors of the dangers out in the deep. The Prussian blue of the waves also played a major role in the popularity of the art. The color was actually imported and not made locally which added a great touch to the piece.
Created by: Ando Hiroshige in 1857
Origin: Japan
The Plum Garden at Kameido is a very beautiful art piece that was very popular and consistently reprinted. I selected this artwork because Hiroshige is a very famous artist from the Edo era and his art appeals to my criteria for great art. I also selected this artwork because of how well it executes perspective and the colors fade in a clean manner. Another extremely appealing part of this image is how pure the colors are, the red feels very full and high quality. Another great aspect of this artwork is the use of foreground, midground, and background. The tree in the front has a great fade of shadows, and the midground does a great job of adding detail to the piece like the flowers and the upper half of the water. The background consists of people, the fade from red to white to dark blue in the back and, the house set this artwork on fire with life. This type of artwork was created through printing with woodblocks which add to the three-dimensional depth. These prints that use the woodblocks are called ukiyo-e which means 'pictures of the floating world.' A very fantastic art piece that conveys a very spiritual feeling which is very astounding.
Sources:
'Fuji Tagonoura', 'Maki-e'. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%27Fuji_Tagonoura%27,_%27maki-e%27_picture_by_Shibata_Zeshin,_1872.jpg.
“Hokusai under the Wave off Kanagawa.” Hokusai Under the Wave off Kanagawa | U.S. Geological Survey, https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/hokusai-under-wave-kanagawa#:~:text=Dated%20sometime%20between%201829%2D1833,with%20this%20play%20on%20perspective.
“One Hundred Famous Views of Edo.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Feb. 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Hundred_Famous_Views_of_Edo.
“Shibata Zeshin.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Feb. 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shibata_Zeshin.
“Sumiyoshi Festival at Tsukudajima.” Ronin Gallery, https://www.roningallery.com/artists/Hiroshige.
“The Great Wave Off Kanagawa.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Apr. 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa.
I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the art created in Japan throughout the Edo Era. The given paintings all highlight more natural scenes instead of centering on figures. All three of these works contain very interesting and awe-inspiring details, but I think that The Great Wave of Kanagawa appeals to me the most. I love the dotting detail that represents sea spray and the colors are truly beautiful. The sheer size of the wave in contrast to the sea vessels really demonstrates the unmatched power of the ocean.
ReplyDeleteIt was intriguing to learn about the importance of the term “Edo” and the historical significance it holds. Just as seen with post-modern art last week, the art produced in Edo art seems to take on a variety of styles and forms. Another notable thing I found interesting to examine was the various emotions present throughout each respective work. All three pieces feature a part of nature and also convey feelings of awe, peacefulness, serenity, etc. Overall, I learned an abundant amount of things from this post and am curious to learn more about art made in the Edo Era.
Hello! The painting that stands out to me the most is The Great Wave by Hokusai. I personally have seen this artwork on T-shirts and even phone cases. The style of this painting is called Ukiyo-e meaning “pictures of the floating world” it is a woodblock print. I have learned about this painting in a class I was taking. One thing that stands out to me is the value of this artwork I sense fear because the wave is crushing the fishermen. Thank you for sharing you did a great job!
ReplyDeleteHello Cooper, I like that you focused on Edo Period Japanese artists for your exhibit. I had never seen Shibata Zeshin’s Fuji Tagonoura before, and I must say I found it very appealing. I enjoy how the gold sky contrasts with the dark mountain to create a sunset effect. The clouds in front of Mt. Fuji also help give the image more depth and to bring some light to the otherwise dark foreground. The way the gold dominates the piece to highlight the darker, matt focal point reminds me of Gustav Klimt’s Judith and the Head of Holofernes and many of his other paintings. I had also never seen Plum Garden at Kameido, and I must say I also find it to be a beautiful work. I enjoy the large plum branch that takes up the majority of the foreground. It gives the image a unique composition and makes it seem like we are spying on the figures in the distance, giving the picture a mysterious and thrilling feel. Finally, it is hard to talk about Edo art without discussing The Great Wave of Kanagawa. I appreciate it as a beautiful and imposing image with a limited color pallet. Edo Period art is a vast and diverse area of art that goes largely overlooked in favor of studying Western art. Your choices of art to review were all great works of non-western origin that reflect the art of Edo Era Japan well.
ReplyDeleteGreat choice of art pieces you have chosen for this blog post. I also included The Great Wave off Kanagawa in my own blog post as well. I touched on that art pieces very much and I actually have a towel copy of The Great Wave of Kanagawa somewhere at my house back at home. I have definitely seen The Great Wave of Kanagawa art in a lot of places. I was part of the Japanese Immersion Program for 13 years and so I can relate to a lot of the art pieces of this Era and I can speak fluent Japanese. I am also learning more about the other art pieces you have chosen and how it resonates with you, the background history of the art pieces, and how it relates to the art elements. I also really liked Fuji Tagonoura. it has such a soft tone and relaxing image that I can look at it for a long time. I would definitely own a copy of that art for myself to keep. I thought your layout of this blog post was very neatly organized and your explanation and detailed information for each art piece were well laid out. Great blog post Cooper!
ReplyDeleteHi Cooper, thank you for sharing this with us! I really enjoyed reading your post and learning about Japanese art about the artists you chose. My favorite out of the works you presented was The Great Wave of Kanagawa. That piece really caught my eye and encouraged me to explore each part of the print. I enjoyed reading your discussion and I appreciated the input you gave in regard to the foreground. Thank you again!
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