Asian art final
Ma
Empty spaxe
Persian elements of moghul painting
Fantastic colors, abstract patterning, intricate details, ornamentation
1206 Quwwat al-Islam (might of Islam) mosque
Congregational mosque. Featured a minaret. Built from stone of destroyed Hindu and Jain temples.
Poet on a mountain top
Shen Zhou, Ming dynasty ink and color on paper. Leaf from album of landscapes. Shows a poet who had climbed the mountain, a poem written next to him. Informal, relaxed. Visualizes Ming philosophy, which holds that the mind was the basis for reality. Literati painting.
Akbar
Enlightened ruler of great political success. Opens up "Mughal painting", fostered cosmopolitan tolerance, eliminated punitive taxes on non-muslims, sought to unify Hindu and Muslim populace. Married a Hindu princess to foster cooperation of rajput kingdoms.
Kano eitoku
Establishes the painting style that appealed to the samurai lords in the momoyama period. Sumptuous gold, vigorous line work, dramatic and dynamic compositions, refinement, power, grace.
Mount kamgang
Famous and beloved mountain range along the coast in Korea. "Twelve thousand peaks" "all bone mountain" "autumn foliage mountain"
British colonialism in india
Foreign rulers impose European culture. Build a massive train station, a technology used for resource extraction. Designed it to look like a European cathedral. Had sculptures of industrialized "saints" - progress, commerce, science, agriculture. Artists challenged the western culture by reclaiming indigenous artistic traditions (Bharat Mata)
Ise shrine
Shinto shrine in Japan dedicated to Amaterasu. Located in ujitachi. Common public not allowed.
Shitao landscape
Leaf from album of landscapes, Qing dynasty, ink and color on paper. Brinking on abstraction, monk sits in small hut looking out onto mountains. Utilizes yi hua
Rock gardens
Like monochrome ink paintings brought to life. Spare, simple forms: clarity of open space. Raked gravel as a metaphor for flowing water. Enigmatic rocks present undefined possibilities (islands, mountains?) textural variety. Also called dry gardens. Zen.
Orthodox paintimg
Literati became an orthodox during Qing dynasty. Based their approach on studying the old masters, while expressing their own technique and taste. Became an academic style practiced at court for the Qing emperors were painters themselves.
Split of painting in yuan dynasty
Literati vs. court painters.
Rajput painting
Stylization for emotional intensity. Bold colors, often non naturalistic. Sharp, rhythmic lines emphasize flat patterns. Conventional bodies with exaggerated distortion.
Waves at Matsushima
Tawaraya sotatsu, edo period, pair of folding panels with ink, colors, gold leaf on paper. Depicts the islands of matsushima near the northern city of Sendai. Islands and waves, stylized clouds, elitist art, rinpa style
The rongxi studio
Ni Zan, yuan dynasty 1372. Hanging scroll ink on paper. Uses the dry brush technique (associated with a noble spirit), simple painting of mountain and trees.
Buddhist art
Refined for the elite patrons, cheap for the city people. Many rural peasants bought Buddhist art.
Lacquer box for writing implements
Reflects how Japanese artists were able to work in a variety of media. Designed by Ogata Korin in the edo period. Mother of pearl, laqeur, lead, silver. Illustration of a passage from "Tales of Isles". Elitist art, rinpa style
Taian tearoom
Sen no rikyu, momoyama period, myokian temple. Tony door, quiet, light and muted with small paper windows. Sense of spatial clarity. Important aesthetic in Japanese culture.
Hundreds of birds admiring the peacocks
Yin hong, Ming dynasty, hanging scroll with ink and color on silk. Birds and flower genre, high attention to detail, designed to be beautiful and pay homage to the court.
Amaranth
Yun Shouping, lead from album of flowers, ink and color on paper, Qing dynasty. Example of orthodox painting.
Autumn colors of the qiao and hua mountains
Zhao Mengfu, yuan dynasty, 1296 handscroll with ink and paper. Chose to serve the government, made into a high official. Depicts a landscape of nostalgia for his friends homeland and for China's past.
Gisaeng
Women who were talented, trained, official courtesans/entertainers (escorts). Low status role but often gifted in painting and writing, music and conversation.
Ming dynasty
"Bright". Chinese rebel against yuan outsiders, Ming dynasty restores native rule. Third Ming emperor, Zhou di, establishes capital in Beijing and builds the forbidden city. Literati painting continues.
Literati painting
"Literate elite". Was a self expression as cultural resistance, for Mongolian rule was traumatic. Educated intellectuals became outsiders. Had the "amateur ideal". Deliberately rough, whisky, sketchy, austere, sparing colors. Made paintings for each other (close friends), not for the public. Spirit of antiquity.
Chan/zen buddhism
"Meditation". A school of Buddhism founded in china by the teacher bodhidharma (daruma in Japanese). Blends Buddhist and daoist attention to process, flow, the present moment, emptiness. Emphasized direct experience, simplicity and austerity.
Chin'gyong
"True view" or "real scenery". Korean ideal. Recognizable sites of koreas geography. Cherished places that are central to Korean heritage and identity.
Edo class structure
1. Samurai (cultured elites) 2. Peasants (agricultural producers) 3. Artisans 4. Chonin (city people)
Akbars promotion of painting
Commissioned the first Ramayana (great Hindu poem). Commissioned the akbarnama: history of akbar
Chanoyu
The tea ceremony. The drinking of green tea elevated to a meditative ceremony.
Yuan dynasty
1279. All of China falls to Mongolians: nomadic people from steppes, north of China. Expansive military power under genghis kahn. They conquer Islamic lands from Central Asia to Iraq, and invade china. Founded the yuan dynasty. Mongols abolish civil service exams for imperial office.
Muromachi period
1392-1573, 1333 emperor go-daigo tries to retake power from the shoguns but fails, results in civil war. Ashikaga clan vs. minamoto shoguns. Ashikaga clan wins, becomes shoguns. Zen Buddhism becomes major force in Japanese culture.
European contact with the Mughal courts
1498 ships arrive in India from Portugal. 16-17 century Dutch and British compete with Portugal for dominant trade. Mughal rules collect European art, and artists respond to European styles and techniques.
Private audience hall
1570, axis Mundi, 4 part garden of paradise. Akbar would sit on top of the throne structure to receive his nobles safely and nobly. Structure is similar to Ashoka pillars.
Age of British colonialism in india
1599-1947. Acquiring full of partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers and exploiting it economically.
Jahangir and prince khurram feasted by nur jahan
1617, paint and gold on paper. Nur jahan serving food to jahangir and son prince khurram. Verses around the painting discuss how jahangir is displeased with khurrams attempts to take the throne.
Taj mahal
1632-1647. Patronized by prince khurram (shah jahan) Resembles a throne of god in the garden of paradise. Set in an environment meant to represent the four part garden of paradise. Built against a river (jumuna) , has symmetry and geometric harmony, the width equals the height, made up of cubes and domes. Made with white marble, carvings and calligraphic ornament. "Miraculous" craft. About love and death of a loved one.
Silhak movement
18ty century Korean style. Emapsizes the study of Korean things as well as Chinese classics. Jeong seon is an example of a Silhak artist
Bharat mata
1905 painting in India, symbolizes the great mother. Has multiple arms (Hindu tradition) Lotus flower, prayer beads, palm leaf texts (sutras), dhoti cloth. Draws from south Asian figurative tradition, Gupta, Mughal and rajput traditions.
China's "tragic century"
19th century. Trade imbalance, military confrontation with the west, impose unequal treaties on china. Port cities taken over by western powers, results in internal rebellion. The imperial system crumbles, weak state, lots of rebellion, opium war. Results in revolution, overthrowing the Qing dynasty which ends 2000 years of imperial rule, establishing the republic of china.
Wabi-sabi
A complicated central concept in Japanese aesthetics "the plum blossom is most beautiful when it is faded".
Shoin
A formal Japanese room. Divided by paper covered sliding doors (fusuma) which were perfect for large scale murals. Reflected the wealth of of the samurai patrons (patronized zen temples)
Qing dynasty
Another conquest dynasty. Manchus from Manchuria seize power. They respected and preserve Chinese cultural tradition. Qing emperors collected and even imitated literati style.
Woodblock prijts
A modern, reproducible medium. "Brocade pictures" rich color layered in stages of production. Art for common people, amassed photography. Mass production of images for a popular culture
Dream journey to The peach blossom land
An gyeon, earliest joseon secular painting. Fantastical, tale of nature poet about a dream he had visiting a utopian world full of peach blossoms in spring.
Founder of Mughal rule and the rulers after him
Babur, of Turkish/Mongolian lineage. In 1526 his grandson Akbar created a great Mughal empire and patronizes artistic culture. Akbars son and grandson continue Mughal art patronage
Edo period
Edo = Tokyo. A controlled and rigidly hierarchal society that has a class structure which is forbidden by law to change classes. Prints made for the commoners. Buddhism highly popular among commoners. Wide variety of art that appealed to the different classes.
Ghandi
Develops philosophy of non-violent resistance circa 1906. In 1921 ghandi and his allies lead the Indian national congress in demand for self rule. The British agree for independence, but Pakistan is divided from Indian against the wishes of ghandi and ghaffar khan.
The Qingbian Mountains
Dong Qichang, hanging scroll with ink on paper, Ming dynasty. Ambiguous space, flattened trees and rocks and mountains, semi abstract. Dual nature of landscape and an interpretation of a landscape.
The flowers of beauty in the floating world
Edit period, polychrome print on paper, Suzuki harunobu. Young woman and girl geisha, in entertainment district (floating world) depicts tobacco pipe and telescope that have been imported from the United States. Shows intermingling of Japanese and western cultures. Ukiyo-e
Krishna and the gopis
From the Gita govinda. Rajput style painting. Painting from Mughal period about jealousy, love, erotic love. VERY DIFFERENT FROM MOGHUL PAINTING. 1525-1550, gauche on paper. Blue god krishna surrounded by cowherd women. Radha looks through the trees and is overcome with jealousy. Red for passion behind Krishna, blue for Radha. Birds and trees of spring. Flat illustration. Bhakti idealogy
Hour of cowdust
From the Punjab hills, kungra school 1790. Gouache on paper. Influence of Mughal naturalism, features Krishna wearing traditional Krishna garb. Returns to a village with cowherd, playing a flute and enchanting all who hear him.
Akbar inspecting the construction of fatehpur sikri
From the akbarnama, 1560. Watercolor on paper. Documents his inspection of the stonemasons/craftsmen. Shows his fascination with the process of creation and being active in what's happening. Helps to illustrate Mughal building techniques.
Zen environments in japan
Gardens and tea rooms. Seated mediation, walking meditation, discipline and simplicity.
Japan after edo period
Grows increasingly fascist and attacks china. Korea falls under Japanese rule, "total war" becomes the policy of the German-Japanese alliance. World war 2, Americans drop atomic bomber on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Bhakti
Hindu religious notion of love and devotion.
The forbidden city
Imperial palace compound in Beijing, constructed during Ming dynasty. Mongols started the forbidden city, the third mind emperor yongle rebuilt the city. Reflects China's beliefs about harmony of the universe, emphasizing the emperors role as son of heaven.
Spread of Islam
Islamic arabic armies move into india in 700's, Islam grows 650-1200, founded by the prophet mohammed. Revelations gathered into quran.
Fusima panels
Kano eitoku, sliding door panel from central room of the jukion in Kyoto. Momoyama period. Cranes and pines, symbols of long life. Plum tree sumbolizes spring. Recall the style of sesshu but on a bolder larger scale.
The great wave
Katsushika Hokusai, from thirty-six views of Mount Fuji. Edo period, polychrome woodblock print on paper. His art was even more appreciated in the west than it was in Japan. Mount Fiji is behind a giant wave, small in comparison. The wave is about to. Crash down on several men in boats.
Haniwa
Kofun period (3-6 AD) clay figures made for ritual burial as funerary objects. Coiled clay. Protecting deceased in afterlife
Joseon dynasty
Korea, had the Silhak movement of "practical learning". Koreans focus on their own geography, culture, and history. Maps and geography, local customs and travel writing. "Practical knowledge" rather than Confucianism philosophy. Period of cultural refinement and scientific achievements. Neo-Confucianism was the state philosophy.
Panoramic view of the diamond mountains
Korean, jeong seon, joseon dynasty, hanging scroll with ink and colors on paper. Beloved mountain range (kamgang) energetic, mi-style ink dots, folded-ribbon strokes, yin and yang.
Picnic at the lotus pond
Korean, sin yunbok, leaf from album, ink and color on paper. Genre painting of ordinary people. Close attention to hairstyles and fashion, painting about cultural life of Korea. Several men in the company of gisaeng.
Ming blue and white wares
Ming was famous for their porcelain.
Hakuin Ekaku
Most famous Zen master of last 500 years, self taught amateur who freely gave away scrolls. Painted giant daruma. Featured everyday Japanese subjects and themes so that his followers could understand them. Came up with "what is the sound of one hand clapping?"
Sen no Rikyu
Most famous tea master. Thought of tea ceremony as intimate gathering of people from different backgrounds. Careful and thoughtful drinking of tea, refinement and rusticity. Made of natural materials like bamboo, mud walls.
Rinpa school painting
Name given to a group of artists whose are reinterpreted ancient courtly styles. Sometimes collaborated with craftsmakers (ex: lacquered box) tawaraya sotatsu was one of the most famous.
South Asian elements of moghul painting
Naturalistic bodies, soft contours, delicate shading, movement/graceful rhythms
Jahangir and the Shah Abbas
Mughal period, 1618, watercolor. Represents high tension between the shah Abbas and the Mughal throne. Shah Abbas took the city Kandahar from the Mughals while they were preoccupied with a war in Iran. Two men embracing each other, jahangir is much larger and looks down upon Abbas. Abbas stands on a lamb and jahangir on a lion. Abbas has his hand on jahangir crotch. Poses as a reminder of Mughal power, and a warning against further expansion.
Bunsei's landscape
Muromachi period, hanging scroll with ink and light colors on paper. Closely modeled on Korean ink landscape. A lot of empty space. Distant shore with a mountain, small hut, tree, fishing boat. Lonely and serene spirit of zen landscape.
Sesshus winter landscape
Muromachi period, hanging scroll with ink on paper. Fearlessly inventive approaches to space, line, composition. Huge range of styles. Sharp, angular complex (shin). Soft, wet, ultra simple (so). Direct experience, flowing ink, limitless quality.
Zen ink painting
Muromachi period, monochromatic black ink and grey paintings reigned supreme. Influenced by aspect of ZEN. Monk artist Shuban was considered the first great master of ink landscape, though none of his works survive. His pupil Bunsei has some that survive.
Ragamala
Music that is paired with painting. "A garland of music". Dipak Raga is an example. (Krishna and Radha getting ready to make love)
Dong Qichang
Painter and pivotal art theorist. Wanted people to be innovative, not imitative. Was considered the first avant-garde modernist. Influenced every Chinese artist and art lover for next 400 years. Makes literati painting. His view on art divided painters into two opposing schools (northern and southern). Thought that the excellence of a painting was shown through its expressive power, not its meticulous accuracy.
Individualists
Painters who rejected the academization of literati to pursue free experimentation. Shitao was one of these painters. Some committee suicide, wandered, monk, recluse; shitao became a monk for a time and then he needed money so he became a professional, though highly respected painter.
Circumambulation
Part of the spiritual culture of Islam. People would pilgrimage to the Mecca and walk/run around an aniconic, black textile with quaran verses in calligraphy. NO pictures of anything
Akbars son, jahangir
Passionate art collector; promotes shift in artistic style towards more portraiture, records of life at court, and detailed naturalism. Receives European explorers at court and collects European art. Inherits the thrones
What is moghul painting a blend of?
Persian and south Asian
Ukiyo-e
Pictures of the floating world. Enjoy life to the fullest while it lasts, Buddhist transience of life. (Theaters, restaurants, brothels). The ones in edo were the most famous of all, heros of this art were kabuki actors and courtesans. The flowers of beauty in the floating world is an example. These pieces were cheaply created for the masses using Japanese woodblock prints, (common people couldn't afford fine art) and not considered fine art despite how much they influenced European art when they were first imported.
Yi hua
Primordial like, the oneness of being the flow of self and nature through the brush, landscape and soul. United artistic expression with rapist and Buddhist metaphysics.
Nur Jahan
Prince Khurrams favorite wife. Ran the empire for a period of time. Issued orders, had coins minted in her name. Superb marks woman, lover of garden art.
Section of spring dawn in the han palace
Qiu ying, Ming dynasty, handscroll with ink and color on silk. Professional painter, depicts women in court of Han dynasty, engaging in courtly pastimes. (Music, calligraphy, painting)
Akbarnama definition and what it was
The history of Akbar. Details the actions and accomplishments of the emperor
Painting like calligraphy
The rhythm of the brush strokes, energy of rising and falling, pushing and pulling. Kinetic play of negative and positive space.
Minaret
Traditional element of Islamic sacred architecture (like an axis mundi)
Northern chan school
Traditional, conservative, promotes diligence, methodical practice. Emphasize on technical skills. (Like court painting)
Momoyama period
Turbulent transition, battles between samurai lords (daimyo). Problem of local powers versus central power. Series of civil wars, warriors overthrow the ashikaga shogun in 1573. European contact, import of firearms and canons. Fortified castles designed to protect from gun battle
Raku ware
Type of ceramic made by hand, coated with a thick, dark glaze, fired to low heat. Irregular shaped and prized at tea ceremonies. Wabi-sabi. "Tea bowl" by chojiro is an example.
Southern chan school
Unorthodox, radical, innovative. Open to sudden enlightenment. Preferred ink, free brushwork. Poetic, personal expression, literati painting which Dong qichang preferred. Said that the master literati painting should "read ten thousand books and walk ten thousand miles".