en l état October
KAKIEMON VAR
Hikotaro Umezar
8th
Tokyo
Height: 24.0 cm. Owner: Mr.
Kakiemon, the orig
a glaze porcelain in Japan, lived and
practiced his ceramic art at the Arita kiln during the 17th century.
The Kakiemon style is generally divided into the "Brocade Style' (Nishiki-de), generally with red, green, and blue overglaze designs on a white body, and the "Underglaze Brocade Style" (Some-nishiki-de), with underglazed designs of oxidized cobalt. Since the Kakiemon style was extremely popular, a large number of such wares were producedSeptember
PICTORIAL HISTORY OF KASUGA GONGEN (detail) by Takashina
Takakane
• Painted in 1309.
Color on silk. Hight: 41.2 cm.
Total length of the scroll: 865.5 cm. Imperial collection.
The "Pictorial History of Kasuga Gongen" encompasses twenty silk scrolls and recounts the many miraculous deeds of the deity of the Kasuga Shrine in Nara. This deity was popularly worshipped by Shintoists and Buddhists alike as the result of a compromise between the two religions known as "Dual Shinto." Traditionally, images and icons were not used in the Shinto religion, but once the two faiths were reconciled through a theory of local "manifestations' (gongen) of Buddhist divinities the way was open to the adoption of Buddhist artistic forms by Shinto This series of scrolls is one of the more important works to have come from Dual Shinto.
Dated 1309, the scrolls are painted in color on silk, rather than paper, and are larger in size than other works of similar type. Some fifty stories, done in calligraphy by four noble courtiers, and ninety three illustrations comprise th%.
Painted by Takashina Takakane, who
was head of the Imperiai Psinging Office, the work reflects the classic style and conventions
waite, the purely Japanese style that be-
came dominant in ten
HEW.
Depicted in the sc
kustration of the 17th scroll) is the deityDecember
CLAY VESSEL OF JAPANESE NEOLITHIC AGE 6000 - 4000 B.C
- Height: 42.7 cm.
Idojiri Archaeological Museum collection.
Nagano Pref.
Japan's pottery tradition dates back roughly seven or eight thousand years. when the primitive
Jomon earthenware had its beginnings
During the mid-Jomon period, this pottery become increasingly ornate with both surface designs and free-formed sculptural decoration, fact, the name for the period, Jomon or "rope pattern. derives from a common surface decoration found on the pottery.
The piece pictured in the calendar is typical of the highly
Orate
asymetrical. thick-walled wares of mid Jomon.
These wares were
fashioned by forming or coiling ropes of clay into the desired shapes, than smoothing and decorating the pots as well as adding intricate
"sculptural" ornament. As seen here, both surface patterns and free formed ornamentation were used in conjunction.
The flowing. looped
decoration of the upper half completely dominates and gives the work a top-heavy appearance, but it is this exuberant, unusual form makes Jomon pottery so interesting. Certain magical
07721
ans are belavedTemple, Kyoto,
One of the most unusual works of Buddhist sculpture of the Kamakura period, the statue of Kuya represents a holy monk who became famous as a mendicant in the 10th century. The Jodo or "Pure Land' sect, whose principal means to salvation lay in the repetitious chant of Amida Buddha's name, was becoming increasingly popular toward the latter half of the Heian period (794-1185). Kuya became noted as a result of his travels in the provinces, where he recited Buddhist chants to the common people and developed into an important spiritual leader.
The wooden statue of Kuya was executed in the latter half of the 13th century by Köshö, the fourth son of the famous Unkei. Shown as a typical mendicant monk carrying a gong to announce his arrival, Kuya is represented with a string of little Amida Buddha figures emerging from his mouth to symbolize the repetition of Amida's name. Visualization of Kuya's teaching in this form gives the otherwise realistic representation of the monk its unusual appearance and imparts the feeling of his devotion to his chants.
As an example of the realistic approach to sculptural portraiture the 13th century, this statue is outstanding. The high cheekbone tilted chin, bony chest, tattered garments, and accoutrements of \ profession are said to be faithful to the appearance of the real K during his time. This is certainly how he must have looked ir wanderings through the provinces.August
BUDDHIST WARDROBE BOX WITH MARINE DESIGN - 9th century.
Wood,
lacquered.
39.0 cm. x
47.8 cm. x 12.0 cm.
National
treasure.
Owner: Kyoogokoku-ji Temple, Kyoto.
This beautifully lacquered box, designed to hold clothing, has been preserved together with a robe said to have been brought back from
China by Kobo
Daishi in 806.
Perforce, the box, too, dates from
the same period and serves as a marvelous example of the early maki e lacquer technique. In this technique, designs were painted in lacquer and sprinkled with gold, silver, or other metal dusts while still wet, then the whole surface smoothed down. The technique not only allowed the artisan greater freedom, but also resulted in work of great durability.
Other features of this box that were characteristic of the early Heian period (9th 10th century) are the rounded corners and the subdued, carefully contrived design. Idealized wave patterns, fish, birds, and imaginarv dolphin-like creatures cover the surface.
The background
is of black lacquer with fine gold dust scattered over it; the figures are executed in gold and silver. This design, a type found relatively often on works from the Heian period, is thought to reflect the interest of Japanese in crossing the sea to China.July
"FROLICKING ANIMALS" (detail)
paper.
Height: 30.5 cm.
otal length dr the scroturYing.k cin.
- Mid 12th
ink on
National treasure.
Owner: Kozan-ji Temple, Kyoto.
The Chojugiga or "Frolicking Animals' scroll series, which numbers four in all, is made up of two scrolls with animals at play as their theme and two with humans and animals. The theme of the first two scrolls gives the series its name and the brushwork with which this theme has been expressed gives the series its fame.
Although depicted in a delightful way, the caricatures of animals in the first scroll are said to be a satire aimed at the Buddhist clergy and laity of the time.
The first two scrolls are traditionally attributed
to Kakuyu, Bishop of Toba (1053-1140). The second two, which differ in style as well as content, are believed to have been done by different artists at a later date, probably in the 13th century. Artisti-cally, the first scroll, from which the section presented in the calendar was taken, is the most outstanding. The animal caricatures are depicted in a light, humorous vein with free, running strokes of a consistently high quality.
Complete familiarity with brush and ink are
shown by the artist, who may well have started his career as one of the many priest-painters who reproduced Buddhist works.
Little need be said about the animals portrayed, except perhaps for the Buddhist connotations connected with their activities, for the painting reveals more in this regard than words could do.
Rabbits and
monkeys appear throughout and seem to have been favored, although frogs and other animals also are depicted.July
"FROLICKING ANIMALS' (detail)-Mid 12th century,
• ink on
paper.
Helght: 30.5 cm.
Total length of the scroll 1148.4 cm.
National treasure.
Owner: Kozan-jl Temple, Kyoto.
The Chofugiga or "Frolicking Animals' seroll series, which numbers four In all. is made up of two scrolls with animals at play as their theme and two with humans and animals.
The theme of the first two scrolls
gives the series its name and the brushwork with which this theme has been expressed gives the series its fame.
Although depicted in a delightful way, the caricatures of animals in the first scroll are sald to be a satire aimed at the Buddhist clergy and laity of the time, The first two scrolls are traditionally attributed to Kakuyu, Bishop of Toba (1053-1140). The second two, which differ in style as well as content, are believed to have been done by different artists at a later date, probably in the 13th century. Artisti cally, the first scroll, from which the section presented in the calendar was taken, is the most outstanding. The animal caricatures are depicted in a light, humorous vein with free, running strokes of a con.
sistently high quality.
Complete familiarity with brush and inkJune
"YELLOW SETO"DISH
- Late 16th-early 17th century. Diameter:
25.4 cm.
Important cultural property.
Owner: Mr. Hiroaki
Manno, Osaka.
Japan's ancient pottery tradition received a new impetus during the
Momoyama period (1573-
-1615), when such feudal lords as Nobunaga
and Hideyoshi favored it with direct patronage. This enthusiasm for pottery was largely a result of the popularity of the tea cult, which stimulated the development of such new wares as the Yellow Seto The name for this ware is taken from its characteristic color and thr location of the kilns, Seto (now part of Gifu prefecture).
"Yellow Seto," an improved version of the light-yellow glazed ware of earlier times, was produced in two basic types: one characterized by a transparent yellow glaze and other by a darker, more opaque glaze Another feature common to this ware is decorative touches of color particularly green. As a tea ceremony ware, the "Yellow Seto' reflects the taste of the tea masters of the time as well as the interchange of techniques that occured between producers.
The piece shown in the calendar is representative of the famous wares in the Yellow Seto' line. It has slightly scalloped edges--Wares of the period were often altered by hand for formal effect even when formed on the wheel- and a simple, incised vegetable decoration enhanced by toured
green.
This is a more subtle example of the
type and is si
i mMay
KO-SODE WITH DESIGN OF AUTUMN FLOWERS-
-19th century.
Dyed silk with embroidery. Tokyo National Museum collection.
A new garment, the ko-sode or "short sleeve," the antecedent of the kimono, came into vogue in 16th century Japan. With it came a change toward greater emphasis on dyeing techniques and their development, which resulted in the prefection of a paste resist process in the 17th century called Yuzen.
This process permitted the free use of pictorial
designs in dye on cloth and allowed Japanese artists and artisans to produce superbly decorative garments.
The ko-sode shown in the calendar is an excellent example of the artistic expressiveness possible with the Yuen technique. Executed on
a
dark-blue ground, representing a stream, are autumn flowers and grasses, a screen of bamboo strips, and swirls suggestive of the move. ment of water. The fine lines and subtle use of color in this example show clearly the pictorial effectiveness which could be achieved through the technique, which involved first making outlines in paste, applying the dyes with a brush and covering those areas with paste, then dyeing the background, and finally washing out the paste. Although woodblock printing techniques and stencil dyeing became dominant as methods for mass-production, the Yuen technique remained the best for executing large designs over the whole surface.
