However, even though Japan was influenced by China, it quickly developed its own ideas and art forms, especially in the Heian and Kamakura periods.
What differences can you see in the form and content of the works from Japan?  How do you like these early works from Japan?  Do you prefer one culture over another?  Why or why not?
011 Asian COTA
Japanese Art of the Kamakura period
Gardner’s Art through the Ages chapter 19
Kamakura styles
Kamakura period 1185-1333
The time of great strife between 1156 and
1185 included the Gempai War. The Taira and
Minamoto clans fought bitterly, and even
monks and lay people were drawn into the
battles.
“A spirit of apocalypse was abroad, expressed
in the Buddhist term mappo, ‘the end of the
Law,’ a time of evil so great as to preclude
Enlightenment.” p. 397, Lee text.
The Minamoto clan triumphed in 1185,
ushering in a period of Japanese feudalism.
Military power became supreme, controlling
both political, economic and social realms.
Those in power gave land to those below
them, in exchange for a share of the crops
and military support in times of need. (This is
similar in general form to Feudalism in Europe
during the Middle Ages, from the 5th to the
15th centuries.)
Physical prowess, loyalty, and courage are
most valued.
The emperor never lost power completely,
although he was weaker than many of the
clans.
Arts flourished.
In 1192, the emperor granted the title of
shogun to Minamoto no Yoritomo (right).
In 1219, the Hojo clan became the shogunate,
the military arm of the emperor.
From 1185-1333, Kamakura (south of Tokyo)
was the center of government.
Japanese Feudalism
Minamoto no Yoritomo
Priest Shunjobo Chogen was the remarkable priest at Todai-ji and supervised the
rebuilding of the temple after the Taira clan destroyed it (and then Minamoto no
Yoritomo sponsored its rebuilding, thus cementing his change of status from rebel
to shogun.) This Buddhist priest is shown with puffy eyes, gaunt cheeks and neck.
His head is thrust forward, and his hands are still powerful. This is a strongly
naturalistic portrait, showing a resiliently strong holy man, aged but not weak.
Todaiji, south gate and great
Buddha Hall
This shows the influence of Song
dynasty architecture, which
Priest Chogen had visited at least
once. The Great Buddha Hall,
above, and the South Gate, left,
were done in this style with the
upturned eaves especially
prominent.
The columns of the gate are 60’ high, and the eaves
extend 16’ and are supported on heavy brackets,
showing more military power than aristocratic grace.
This style, tenjiku yo, was short-lived.
Tang International
Style in Nara Japan
The Nara rulers in Japan
embraced Buddhism for its
political and religious
support, symbolically
connecting the royalty with
those of Mayahana
Buddhism. The royal family
and their advisers were
extremely religious, and
many new monuments and
artworks are created. The
growth of their centralized
societies is seen in the
expansion of their
architecture and artworks.
Enormous Buddha in the Todai-ji. 50 feet high.
Kamakura Architecture: most of this became more traditional, without the
Indian or Song influences. Bracketing became more exaggerated.
Gangoji
Amida Hall, Hokaiji
Ishiyamadera
Left
Amida Hall,
Konrenji, right.
Sanjusangendo Temple, Kyoto
(temple with 33 bays)
This temple is, for me, one of the more spiritual temples in Japan. The temple was
built in 1164 by the warrior politician Taira-no-Kiyomori for the cloistered Emperor
Go-Shirakawa. It is 120 meters long. Each bay has an active, guardian figure or god
in the front, each of them different, and several with musical instruments. Many of
these were derived from Indian gods such as Shiva.
Sanjusangendo Temple
Behind these martial figures is
a continuous stream of several
levels of Kannon (Bodhisattva
of Compassion) with two main
sets of arms, in two poses: 1) a
Namaste, prayer pose and
then two hands curved below
in peace. 2) a pose with
multiple smaller arms to the
side, most of them holding
tributes, and several little
heads on each of their heads.
Sanjusangendo Temple
There were 1001 of these kannon statues, all in gold leaf. Their
repetition was endless and powerful, seemingly infinite. There was
one HUGE Buddha sitting on a lotus leaf in the middle of the bays.
He also had many arms, a huge mandala behind him and other
things hanging on either side of him.
Sanjusangendo Temple
The gods “bookmarking” these 33 bays on either end
were the Wind and Thunder gods (left and right above),
done in the aggressive Kamakura style. These sculptures
were not carved as one large piece but in pieces that
were then assembled.
Sanjusangendo Temple
The whole effect of this temple was quite powerful. Repetition did a
lot for creating a sense of infinity. The martial aspect of the front
sculptures were in marked contrast to the more peacefully posed
Kannon, and the huge single Buddha was in contrast to the smaller
figures. The “no photo” prohibition was enforced by the monks. Thus,
I found it to be a much more spiritual experience when everyone was
not snapping selfies in front of each bay.
Jizu Bosatsu by Kaikei
Chinese Song artists were
brought by Chogen to
rebuild some of the
sculpture destroyed in the
Gempai war.
There is a blocky, Song
influence in other
sculptures of this time, but
the stronger influence is
from the Japanese Nara
period as well as the Tang
style and even, at times,
the Song style.
Also by Kaikei:
Miroku, the
Bodhisattva of
the future 1189
MFA
Kaikei stayed in
Nara and worked
on the Kofuku-ji,
a Nara temple.
The gentle sway
and elegance is
typical of the
“kei” sculptors.
Sho Kannon by Jokei II
There is some Song
influence in this
Kamakura sculpture.
The “Kei” sculptors
were among the most
proficient.
There is a “lovely”
quality that is unique to
Japan.
The Bodhisattva Jizo from 1279 at the
Peabody Essex Museum. It also has some
nice elegant lines of drapery.
The Bodhisattva Jizo from the 13th
century, probably from the Metropolitan
museum. Very lyrical drapery.
Unkei: went to Kamakura while the other “kei”
sculptors stayed in Nara.
Dainichi Nyorai
This robust style reflects some late Heian
influence. These sculptures of Todai-ji’s south
gate guardians are huge, complexly joined wood,
and were completed in only 2 months.
Twelve generals Yakushi: these two examples of these pieces show realism,
brilliant technique in wood, and great movement. The drapery swirls with an
energy of its own, and the faces show exaggerated expressions. Wood is a
preferred medium for Kamakura sculpture, as the lively forms with deep
undercutting depart from the tree trunk shapes of earlier sculpture. Thus, we
see the influence of imminent violence in a military society.
The half nude body
of Jokei on the right
is paused mid-action
and the tensed
muscles are
convincingly
displayed.
It is more
exaggerated than
was acceptable in
the Western
Renaissance in the
image on the left,
but it is
characteristic of
Kamakura realism.
Jokei
Kongo Rikishi
Above: Pollaiuolo,
Hercules and Hydra,
late 15th century Italy.
It is hard to move with
all the muscles tensed
as shown in both
examples.
Student paper by Billy Iannacci;
look up this anime
“Because I actually came into this class with a little knowledge of Japanese
lore, I thought to call upon the aid of a particular anime and manga, one of
my favorites, to explain the content of this work, and that title is Higurashi
no Naku Koro ni (which I will hereafter refer to as Higurashi). Higurashi is
widely accepted to be the greatest, most effective horror anime/manga that
exists within the medium, and I am one of such proponents. Higurashi tells
the story of a small group of misfit children as they work towards
uncovering the mystery behind the supernatural events that took place
years prior in the village they reside in, which are believed to occur
because of the village’s guardian deity known as Oyashiro. The reason
why this is relevant to Kongo Rikishi is because Oyashiro actually was
adapted from Kongo Rikishi. And similarly to how this sculpture of Kongo
Rikishi looks somewhat malevolent, Oyashiro, though also being a
guardian, plays a fairly villainous role in the first half of the series. An
adaptation of a traditional Japanese guardian into modern Japanese popculture speaks for both the relevance and significance of this sculpture.”
Priest Seshin
Unkei
Priest Muchaku
These works, and other
Kamakura sculpture make
use of a new Japanese
invention: gyokugan.
These were quartz
crystals that were inserted
into the eyes to make the
flickering color and even
the whites of the eyes
more life-like.
These figures by Unkei
show great monumentality
and realism within their
individualized faces.
“This sculpture of Bishamonten (fig. 528 and on the right in the previous slide) is a
representation of the powerful realism of the Kamakura period. It illustrates the blending of an
imported religion, Buddhism, with such older native traditions as Shinto. Perhaps no single
feature of the Kamakura period so exemplifies the unique character of the age as does the
emergence of bold new sculptural styles. Indeed, the Kamakura is considered by many to be
the last significant period in the history of Japanese sculpture until modern times.
“The most compelling works of the period were created in the 13th century, notably by
the Kei family, led by Kokei and his son Unkei. Inspired both by the exquisite idealism of
the Nara-period works and by the fashion for realism found in Chinese Song dynasty sculpture,
the best of Kamakura period sculpture conveyed intense corporeal presence. The above
priest, Muchaku, is a painted wood sculpture by Unkei (1148–1223). The style is frequently
referred to as “Kamakura realism” but should not be confused with the notion of “realistic” in
the sense of faithful rendering of the natural. While, for example, there is reference to careful
anatomic understanding, this understanding is often rendered in extreme statement. The huge
guardian figures created by Unkei, and other Kei artists to flank the Nandaimon (“Great South
Gate”) at Todai Temple are the epitome of this style. With bulging eyes, limbs lined with
tributaries of protruding veins, and theatrical poses, these and similar works were direct and
accessible to the mass of the Buddhist faithful.
“In portraying a range of divine concerns from protection to sympathetic
consolation, Kamakura sculpture responded to the spiritual climate of the age. The intensity of
the deity’s gaze, omniscient and direct, is accomplished by a Kamakura period innovation: inlaid
crystal eyes backed by white paper appropriately colored to affect the iris and pupil. Wood was
the medium of choice, and in some cases the face of a sculpture was worked separately, as if a
mask, and then affixed to the sculpture. The refinement of this ability to work on individual parts
allowed for remarkable detail and expressive effects, enhancing the meticulous realism which is
characteristic of Kamakura sculpture.”
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ackland.org/art/exhibitions/buddhistart/students/nrclark/Muchaku.jpg&imgrefurl=
http://www.ackland.org/art/exhibitions/buddhistart/students/nrclark/second.html&usg=__q3kT1iBWFZyhGh1YBgsSFRPYclA=&h=300&w=
156&sz=15&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=YYGlBKdJHUF_jM:&tbnh=116&tbnw=60&prev=/images%3Fq%3DPriest%2BMuchaku%26hl%3D
en%26rlz%3D1C1GGLS_enUS316US316%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1
Lamp Bearers by Koben, Kofuku Temple, 1215.
Realism in this Kamakura
period is often
exaggerated with fury and
force.
They have jagged
eyebrows of cut copper.
How different from the
elegance of the Western
Han lamp holder from the
second century A.D. in
China.
Which lamp bearers do you like best?
1. The older Western Han
image from China; it is
more delicate and elegant
2. The more energetic and
intense Japanese Kamakura
lamp bearers.
Uesugi Shigefusa was an advisor to the bakufu
(tent government of the imperial court)
He is wearing the
formal costume of
the Kamakura
aristocratic warrior.
There is a masterful
portrayal of full form,
in addition to a play
of textures (clothes
vs. skin vs. hat, etc.)
The block of wood
for the face is now
carved in two pieces,
with a detachable
mask for the face
itself.
Attributed to Fujiwara no Takanobu (142-1205): these three leaders are
dressed formally for court, not for battle. These are derived from the onnae (feminine) tradition of early painting seen on the right here in Jion Daishi.
But the characters that are portrayed below in this sequence of paintings
(probably referring to the earlier struggles and victors thereof) are hardened
warriors. To me, this is in strong contrast to the elegance of their clothes,
texture and design. The extensive clothes imply great power.
Minamoto no Yoritomo
Fujiwara no Mitsuyoshi
Taira no Shigemori
Emperor Go-Shirakawa: the portrait in your book, fig. 533,
is different than these and also derives from the early
Heian traditions. Note the costume is similar to that in the
sculpture in fig. 531 and power point slide 31.
Similar to fig. 534, with great energy of the
brushstroke evident.
“Putting aside these tales of his previous lives,
Sakyamuni himself was born about 2,500 years ago
in India as a prince, named Siddhartha. His family
name was Gautama. His father was Suddhodana,
the ruler of a small kingdom called Kapilavastu (on
the boarder of present-day Nepal and India); his
mother was Queen Maya. According to legend, he
was born in the nearby garden of Lumbini. As a
prince, Siddhartha spent his childhood and youth in
comfort.
“This sutra from Jobon Rendai-ji Temple in Kyoto
starts from around the time the prince was ten
years old. The young Siddhartha spent his time
competing in skill and strength against his cousin
Devadatta and his half-brother Nanda and always
winning. The illustration here captures such a scene
that demonstrates the prince’s amazing abilities.
“Here, Siddhartha is about to shoot seven drumshaped targets made of gold and silver. Since there
are seven targets, at least seven arrows would
usually be needed to hit all of them, but Siddhartha
hits all seven with a single arrow!” source next
slide
Illustrated Sutra of
cause and effect by
Keinin 1254
Illustrated Sutra of cause and effect by Keinin 1254
“According to legend, Prince Siddhartha one day ventured out of his castle from four gatesin the directions of east, south, west, and north-and on each occasion he encountered an old
man, a sick man, a dead man, and a spiritual man. The image above represents the scene in
which the prince leaves the castle from the south gate to see a sick man. The prince, who
had been protected from the outside world, was deeply struck by this sight of illness, as he
had never seen a sick person
before.” http://www.kyohaku.go.jp/eng/dictio/data/shoseki/50einga.htm#02
Some interesting Buddhist quotes from the third chapter on
Enlightenment from Karen Armstrong’s Buddha: Pre-enlightenment:
“When we say ‘I want,’ we often find ourselves filled with envy,
jealousy and rage if other people block our desires or succeed where
we have failed. Such states of mind are ‘unskillful’ because they
make us more selfish than ever. Desire and hatred, its concomitant,
are thus the joint cause of much of the misery and evil in the world.
On the one hand, desire makes us ‘grab’ or ‘cling’ to things that can
never give lasting satisfaction. On the other, it makes us constantly
discontented with our present circumstance… Craving manifests
itself even in the desire to change our physical position, go into
another room, have a snack or suddenly leave work and go find
somebody to talk to. These petty cravings assail us hour by hour,
minute by minute, so that we know no rest. We are consumed and
distracted by the compulsion to become something different. ‘The
world, whose very nature is to change, is constantly determined to
become something else.’ Gotama [the Buddha] concluded.” p. 74-75.
Some interesting Buddhist quotes from the third chapter on
Enlightenment from Karen Armstrong’s Buddha: Post-enlightenment
“Nibbana does not give an awakened person trance-like
immunity, but an inner haven which enables a man or woman to
live with pain, to take possession of it, affirm it, and experience a
profound peace of mind in the midst of suffering. Nibbana,
therefore, is found within oneself, in the very heart of each
person’s being. It is an entirely natural state; it is not bestowed
by grace nor achieved for us by a supernatural savior; it can be
reached by anybody who cultivates the path to enlightenment as
assiduously as Gotama did. Nibbana is a still center; it gives
meaning to life. People who lose touch with this quiet place and
do not orient their lives toward it can fall apart. Artists, poets,
and musicians can only become fully creative if they work from
this inner core of peace and integrity.” p. 86.
Buddhism: from Tendai to Amidism
In the 10th century, Amidism (also known as Jodo and Pure Land School)
emerged from the more complex and metaphysical Tendai Buddhism.
Amida Buddhism stressed “the saving power of Amida and the Pure Land as a
life-after-death paradise” for anyone believing in divine compassion. p. 407
Lee text.
In the violent upheavals and anxiety of the 12th century, Jodo was widely
appreciated and adopted by all classes.
“J?do-sh? (????, “The Pure Land School”), also known as J?do Buddhism,
is a branch of Pure Land Buddhism derived from the teachings of the
Japanese ex-Tendai monk H?nen. It was established in 1175 and is the most
widely practiced branch of Buddhism in Japan, along with J?do Shinsh?.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C5%8Ddo-sh%C5%AB
“The notion of ‘pure lands’ was inherited from other Dharmic
Traditions already evident in the Dharma. The notion of a pure land may have
evolved from the Uttarakuru, a divine continent in ancient Dharmic
cosmology.[1] The pure realms are all accessible through experiential
meditation and trance sadhana.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_land
Thirty-Six Immortal Poets: stylized poems and images that were popular with the
Heian and Kamakura courts. These Kamakura images are nostalgic and recall the
Genji tale and images, below right.
Poetess Saigu no Nyogo Yoshiko by
Fujiwara Nobuzane
Tale of Genji
Poet Taira no Kanemore
Shintoism and Buddhism became more and more cooperative in the 12th
centuries: Shinto shrines were built on Buddhist sites, and the Shinto kami
would have to agree before a Buddhist temple was built. Both religions
appreciated the flower-strewn beauty of the Japanese landscape.
Kumano Mandala
The left work shows an aerial
view of three Shinto shrines
(with better definition and
details in the Lee textbook, fig.
538).
In the upper right is the Nachi
Waterfall (also shown in a
separate image on the right).
There was a Buddhist deity
based at the bottom of the
waterfall.
The waterfall to the right is
another mandala, not a natural
landscape in its own right.
There is a Shinto Shrine of
Hiryu Gongen at the bottom.
This is a mysterious rendering
of the home of this spirit or
kami.
Nachi Waterfall
In the fall of 2009, I showed a PBS Nova episode
on The Samurai Sword. It explored how
carefully these ostensibly simple swords were
crafted. These are some of the sharpest, most
beautiful and most effective swords ever
created.
Kamakura armor was made for mounted bowmen, but this is sturdier than the Heian
counterparts. These are beautifully constructed in terms of color and texture, but they are
also most effective: from the flashing “horns” to the density of the iron, steel, leather and
lacquer. It was created for mounted archers, not the infantry.
http://learn.bowdoin.edu/heijiscroll/viewer.html
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE HEIJI DISTURBANCE
‘The Heiji disturbance, which occurred late in 1159, represents a brief armed skirmish in the capital.
The event itself was of relatively minor importance. Supporters of Go-Shirakawa, who possessed
sovereign authority as a “retired emperor,” vied for influence with the sovereign. One faction,
composed of Fujiwara Shinzei and Taira Kiyomori, gained more influence over another group, led by
Fujiwara Nobuyori and Minamoto Yoshitomo. Nobuyori and Yoshitomo advanced on the palace,
captured the retired emperor, placed him in a cart and set fire to the palace. This scene is depicted
below, and Nobuyori and Yoshitomo appear prominently as they attack and burn the palace, kill
partisans of the Taira, and parade their decapitated heads.
“Shinzei had attempted to hide but was eventually captured and beheaded. Ultimately, the retired
emperor Go-Shirakawa, and the reigning emperor, Rokujo, were able to escape by disguising
themselves. Taira Kiyomori thereupon launched an attack on the plotters, Nobuyori was defeated,
captured and later executed. Yoshitomo fled but was killed while taking a bath.
“After the Heiji disturbance, Taira Kiyomori gained influence as a trusted advisor to Go-Shirakawa,
and ultimately a high ranking noble. He perished in 1181. One of Yoshitomo’s sons, Minamoto no
Yoritomo, was spared in 1160 and exiled, and he later led a revolt which resulted in the death of
Taira Kiyomori’s relatives in 1185. Even though Go-Shirakawa remained retired emperor until 1192,
the victory of Yoritomo came to be thought of as being epochal, for it represents the
establishment of a warrior government, the Kamakura bakufu, in Eastern Japan.”
“THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SCROLLS
“The Heiji scrolls date from the thirteenth century. They can be documented as being viewed
by courtiers in the fifteenth century and represents a masterpiece of “Yamato” painting. The
quality of the scrolls, and the accuracy of the images is unsurpassed. This scroll is particularly
valuable in that it provides an early thirteenth-century depiction of Japanese warriors. The
scene appearing here, which shows the burning of the Sanjo palace, is the property of the
Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Two other scenes of the scrolls, depicting the death of Shinzei,
and in fragmentary form, Taira Kiyomori’s later attack still survive in Japan.
“READING THE SCROLLS
“This scene provides a great tutorial as to how to read picture scrolls. The scrolls read from
right to left, and the focus of attention is invariably drawn to the left. First, we see some
people hurrying to the left, and a few individuals become a confused mass of nobles,
warriors and a troupe of imperial police. Thereupon attention shifts to the palace, where
Fujiwara Nobuyori, is ordering the retired emperor into the cart. Wisps of smoke appear, and
as the scroll further unfolds, one witnesses the burning of the palace, the decapitation of
Taira supporters, and women of the palace fleeing for their lives. Gradually order is restored,
and a troupe of warriors surrounds Go-Shirakawa’s cart. Fujiwara Nobuyori, now in court
roads, leads the cart, and Minamoto Yoshitomo is located immediately behind.
“These scrolls also reveal how action unfolds temporally. The cart that appears before the
burning palace represents the same cart that is surrounded by warriors later in the scrolls.
Likewise, the men shown being decapitated by the burning palace have their heads, carefully
dressed and made up, placed on pikes in the final procession. Thus, as one unfolds the
scrolls, one advances in time. These images are not meant to be seen in their entirety, but
rather in a discrete section that shows a progression of events.” Source: Bowdoin reference,
previous slide
To see the scroll in a cool scroll
format, click below!
http://learn.bowdoin.edu/heijiscroll/viewer.html
(Please note: as of 4/3/22, I am traveling with uncertain
internet. I could not connect to this scroll. I hope to try again
when I get home in less than a week, but give it a try in case you
have better luck than I.)
Burning of the Sanjo Palace, Heiji rebellion
http://learn.bowdoin.edu/h
eijiscroll/viewer.html
Burning of the Sanjo Palace,
Heiji rebellion
Inspired by Heian
Ban Dainagon
images, right.
http://www.bowdoin.edu/mongol-scrolls/
Check this site out for a scrolling version of the
Mongol invasion scroll.
[4/3/22: I didn’t have any luck finding these scrolls on the
Bowdoin website. Alas, they were really fun to see in motion!]
Illustrated History of the
Mongol Invasions
In 1266, Kublai Khan
demanded fealty of Japan.
Japan refused. In 1274,
after conquering China
and Korea, the Mongols
invaded Japan. At the
second sea attack, a
“Divine Typhoon” wrecked
the Mongol fleet.
Mongol archers vs.
mounted Japanese
bowmen. After this
battle, Japanese
adopted swords and
fought on foot. These
scrolls are adept at
capturing the
movements, fires,
excitement, crowds,
military maneuvers,
horses, etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbbfDntoRRk trailer for Kirosawa’s Ran, a
masterpiece based on Shakespeare’s King Lear
White robed Kannon
Trade and political and cultural
exchanges began to take place
between China and Japan
beginning in the 12th century.
This work shows the influence
of Chinese Zen brushwork
from the Song dynasty.
This is the earliest example of
the “quintessential Zen icon”
of a Zen priest. Lee text, p.
415.