HISTORY BVA212 WEEK eleven 23/08/2019 (SEMESTER TWO)

HISTORY BVA212 WEEK eleven 23/08/2019 (SEMESTER TWO)

Name of Paper BVA 212 Art History Essay 2

                                               ______________________________________________

                                              

Surname CLEARWATER       ______________________________________________

First Name GAYLE                ______________________________________________

Student ID 940056              ______________________________________________

Assignment No. Assessment 5 ESSAY 2_____________________________________     

Total No. of pages 11          ______________________________________________

(including cover)

Submission Date                  1/11/19_______________________________________

Date received:                      1/11/19_______________________________________

Date returned to student   ______________________________________________

Tutor: Traci Meek                ______________________________________________

BVA 212 Art History Essay 2 By Gayle Clearwater

What events in history influenced the contrasting illustrative art practices in Japan?

·         why did the Japanese convert the floating world of Ukiyo-e hand painted scrolls to mass produce woodcuts?

·         After Japan opened itself to foreign trade 1954, how did this impact on Japanese woodcut illustrations?

·         What is the Japonisme Movement in Europe and examples of work?

·         Compare the contrasting art practices of Manga art and Studio Ghibli practice

The translation of ukiyo-e is “pictures of the floating world” uki(floating), yo (world), and e (pictures) (Khan Academy, 2015)    

Ukiyo-e prints began as a black and white wood print and then hand coloured on paper scrolls and screens.  The style and subjects were a depiction of everyday life of the higher class in Japanese culture.  The subject matter of the Ukiyo-e prints was predominantly of popular entertainment and recreational activities.  The people depicted appeared in picturesque environments, sumo wrestlers, courtesans, actors of kabuki theatre, geishas and teahouse mistresses, warriors and characters from folklore of the time. Beautiful woman, artistic umbrellas, blossoms, birds became primary motifs in ukiyo-e prints. Landscapes ironically had mount Fuji in them.

The Hikone Screen (1624-1644) artist unknown. Early ukiyo-e painting on Japanese folding screen. (The art story, 2019)

 The style of Ukiyo-e prints appealed to the chonin, a social class of craftsmen and merchants. By the end of the seventeen century the demand grew and mass production started this came to time consuming, as each black and white print was hand coloured.  This was when individual carved blocks which represented different colour and design on the final artwork. (Khan Academy, 2015)   This practice was using several carved wooden blocks represented different colour and carved design to create the final artwork.   The carved wood block was painted and then a piece of paper was positioned on the wood block and the printer would then rub to transfer the painted design onto the paper.  This technique was done on several pieces of paper at a time for mass production.  Then the next wood cut had a different area of the design carved out and a different colour is applied, and then the process is repeated.  The process of Ukiyo-e was a collaboration between the artist who drew the image on ink paper, the craftsmen would then carve the image drawn onto a woodblock, the printer applied the pigment to woodblock and then was overseen by the publisher who coordinated the process and marketed the work. (The art story, 2019)

Katsushika Hokusai (Japanese, Tokyo (Edo) 1760–1849 (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000)

This print is well recognised and the artist became famous for his landscapes created with a palette of indigo and imported Prussian blue. Polychrome woodblock print; ink and color on paper.

Yokohama-e, is the name of this type of print and was produced in a fishing village Yokohama.  After Japan opened its boarders to foreign trade in 1854 (Convention of Kanagawa). (Editors, 2010)   This influenced the Japanese artist with American and European technology and style as Japan had been isolated from the rest of the world for more than 200 years.  This was known as the Edo Period (1615-1868) “Foreigners visiting Tokyo from "the five nations"—England, the Netherlands, France, Russia, and the United States—were restricted to living in Yokohama (The Met," 1861)

Foreigners in the Drawing Room of Foreign Merchant's House in Yokohama. Utagawa (Gountei) Sadahide (Japanese, 1807–1878/79. Triptych of polychrome woodblock prints; ink and color on paper ("Utagawa (Gountei) Sadahide | Foreigners in the Drawing Room of Foreign Merchant's House in Yokohama | Japan | Edo period (1615?1868) | The Met," 1861)

English Couple (Igirisujin)12th month, 1860 Utagawa Yoshitora Japanese Polychrome woodblock print; ink and colour on paper (The Met Museum, 200)

Japonisme is a French term coined in the nineteenth century to describe a trend of Japanese art and design in the West. (Tate, 2017.) This came about when the trade between Japan and Europe opened up in 1853. (Author: Colta Ives, 2004)   Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Gustav Klimt are only a few well-known artists were inspired by the Ukiyo-e colour and composition.  Lady with a fan is under the Japonisme  and Art Nouveau Movements.  This painting was commissioned for the University of Vienna.  There was a lot of controversy over this and considered radical for the time and even pornographic. (Klimt, 2019) This is a beautiful piece with strong colours and the female figure wearing a kimono and holding a Japanese fan.

 

Lady with Fan (1917-18) By Gustav Klimt, Austrian painter, oil on canvas. (Klimt, 2019)

 

La Japonaise (Camille Monet in Japanese Costume) By Claude Monet 1879 Oil on canvas (Modern Fine Arts Boston & Monet, 1937)

Monet exhibited this at the second group show of the Impressionist painters in 1876.  This painting attracted a lot of attention, Brilliant colours that with a witty comment about the current trend in Paris was “all things Japanese”.  Monet painted his wife in a beautiful kimono and surrounded with fans.  Camille is wearing a blonde wig to emphasize her western identity. (Modern Fine Arts Boston & Monet, 1937)

Maternal Caress by Mary Cassatt (1890-91)  Medium Drypoint, aquatint and soft ground etching, printed in colour from three plates. (Heilbrunn, 2000)

This artwork was inspired by Kitagawa Utamaro (Japanese, ca. 1754–1806) Ukiyo-e: wood cut print 

Midnight: Mother and Sleepy child.  Mary Cassatt was an American artist and after viewing Ukiyo-e prints at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, began a series of ten colour etchings. ("Japonism Style - Important Paintings," 2009)

Midnight: Mother and Sleepy child by Kitagawa Utamaro (Japanese, ca. 1754–1806) Ukiyo-e: wood cut print (Polychrome woodblock print; ink and color on paper)  (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000)

Japan Ukiyo-e Museum holds the largest collection of Ukiyo-e prints, scrolls, screens and books.  They are dedicated to preserving the History and culture of Japanese Ukiyo-e woodblock prints.  (Japan Ukiyo-e Museum, 2016)

 

Hokusai manga (Hokusai Sketch). Early 18^th century, Kyoto  (Masami Toku, 2001)

 Manga “humorous picture” were originally scrolls or screens drawn with black ink.  They were designed for children and adults to enjoy the narrative illustration.  Manga have a strong following around the world and Manga are now classed as comics and graphic novels.  Manga has a broad range of genres and reflects the reality of Japanese society along with myths, rituals, beliefs, fantasies and traditions.  Manga depicts social order, sexism, racism and hierarchy. (Kinko Ito, 2005)

  

Dragon Ball was created as a weekly collection magazine.  Akira Toriyama is a well-known Japanese manga artist and character designer.  (Akira Toriyama, 1984)

What is Studio Ghibli? Was founded in 1985 in Japan.  The film studio is known for anime films. 

 

("Studio Ghibli," 2002)

­Studio Ghibili films are richly animated worlds with fantastical creatures.  Even though there is humour element with the story line, there is a life affirming, humanist sensibility to the films. There also is a human and fantastical element, with the story portraying a challenging, self-exploration and triumph.  They believe that human crisis is as much apart of the human experience as accomplishment.  Also they focus on human relashinships and the support of family and friends as untied they can achieve great things.  Studio Ghilbli “a cinema of humanism” (Acmi, 2017)

Walt Disney presents a Studio Ghilbli  “Spirited away” (Acmi, 2017)

Before Japan opened the boarders to foreign trade.  The ukiyo-e Woodblock prints, and Manga art was very traditional, with mainly black and white ink images and scripts.  Ukiyo-e Woodblock prints became popular with the social class of craftsmen and merchants.  This was when the process of mass production started and it became a status to own ukiyo-e Woodblock prints.   Once Japan opened its boarders to foreign trade in 1854 (Convention of Kanagawa). (Editors, 2010)   the artist were influenced by the western world and in the ukiyo-e prints the subjects were a mixture of traditional Japanese style of beautifully clothed women with the subjects being Japanese and Western world.  After foreign trading began and  ukiyo-e prints became a sort after art piece by westerners and the movement Japonisme began and influenced famous artist to create artwork in the style of ukiyo-e woodblock prints. 

Manga was also created as a humorous illustration for all to enjoy and tell a story.  Then in modern times Manga has a huge international following which range from comic styled books and animated series and the dynamic artwork is easily recognised.

 Studio Ghilbli  is a very fantastical film based on human nature, relationships with fantasy and spiritual world.  It is a contrast between Japanese tradition with a western influence.

  

APA Referencing

 Acmi. (2017). Acmi. (2017). Studio Ghibli: a cinema of humanism. Retrieved from https://www.acmi.net.au/ideas/read/studio-ghibli-cinema-humanism/#top

(Akira Toriyama, 1984) Akira Toriyama. (1984). Dragon Ball (manga). Retrieved from https://dragonball.fandom.com/wiki/Dragon_Ball_(manga)

(Author: Colta Ives, 2004) Author: Colta Ives. (2004). Japonisme | Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/jpon/hd_jpon.htm

(Editors, 2010) Editors, H. (2010, October 18). Treaty of Kanagawa signed with Japan. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/treaty-of-kanagawa-signed-with-japan

(Heilbrunn, 2000) Heilbrunn. (2000). Maternal Caress | Mary Cassatt | 16.2.5 | Work of Art | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/16.2.5/

("Japonism Style - Important Paintings," 2009) The Japonism Style - Important Paintings. (2009). Retrieved from https://www.theartstory.org/movement/japonism/artworks/#pnt_7

 (Japan Ukiyo-e Museum, 2016) Japan Ukiyo-e Museum. (2016). A legacy to the future. Retrieved from http://www.japan-ukiyoe-museum.com/collection/

(Khan Academy, 2015)    Khan Academy. (2015). The evolution of ukiyo-e and woodblock prints. Retrieved from https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-asia/art-japan/edo-period/a/the-evolution-of-ukiyo-e-and-woodblock-prints

(Kinko Ito, 2005) Kinko Ito. (2005). A history of manga in the context of Japanese culture and society. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.0022-3840.2005.00123.x

(Klimt, 2019) Klimt, G. (2019). Lady with a Fan by Gustav Klimt. Retrieved from http://www.gustavklimt.net/lady-with-a-fan/

(Masami Toku, 2001) Masami Toku. (2001). What is Manga?: The Influence of Pop-culture in Adolescent Art. Retrieved from https://www.csuchico.edu/~mtoku/vc/Articles/toku/Toku_what%20is%20manga_.html

(Modern Fine Arts Boston & Monet, 1937) Modern Fine Arts Boston, & Monet, C. (1937). La Japonaise (Camille Monet in Japanese Costume). Retrieved from https://collections.mfa.org/objects/33556

("Studio Ghibli," 2002) Studio Ghibli. (2002, November 18). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studio_Ghibli

(Tate, 2017.) Tate. (2017.). Japonisme ? Art Term. Retrieved from https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/j/japonisme

(The art story, 2019)  The artstory. (2019). Ukiyo-e Japanese Prints - Concepts & Styles. Retrieved from https://m.theartstory.org/movement/ukiyo-e-japanese-woodblock-prints/history-and-concepts/#beginnings_header

(The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000) The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (2000). Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura), The Great Wave, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanj'rokkei) | Katsushika Hokusai. Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/JP1847/

(The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000) The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (2000). Midnight: Mother and Sleepy Child | Kitagawa Utamaro | JP1278 | Work of Art | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History |. Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/JP1278/

 (The Met Museum, 200) The Met Museum. (200). English Couple (Igirisujin). Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/73470

The Met. (1861) Utagawa (Gountei) Sadahide | Foreigners in the Drawing Room of Foreign Merchant's House in Yokohama | Japan | Edo period (1615?1868) | The Met. (1861). Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/73416

(Yoshitora Utagawa) (Hu, 2015) Hu, C. (2015, August 6). 150-year-old images reveal what Japanese artists once thought about exotic American visitors. Retrieved from https://qz.com/473721/150-year-old-images-reveal-what-japanese-artists-once-thought-about-exotic-american-visitors/