Yamato-e and Emaki
During the Heian period (794-1185 C.E), Japan experienced significant cultural growth. The Heian period was the longest time of peace in the nation’s history. The arts, literature and handwriting were cultivated into something that was completely Japanese. No longer was China seen as the exemplar of the nation, Japan during the Heian period turn towards its self to build its countries social, cultural, and aesthetics taste. With the distinction between what was considered Japanese and what was foreign terms were created to identify what was consider Japanese art yamato-e (Japanese paintings) and what was Chinese art kara-e (Chinese paintings). Yamato-e differs from kara-e because it focuses on Japanese culture and ideas of beauty. Most yamato-e was inspired by the non-religious world of Japan, focusing on themes from poetry, prose, and literature. Yamato-e also focused on Japanese nature, the things that the Japanese saw and experienced in their own country. The development of Yamato-e lead to a rise in secular art that was influence mostly by literature, for instance many landscape paintings were influence by Japanese waka poetry .
Yamato-e painting not only changed the way landscape painting were illustrated, but also influenced another genre of art called emakimono or emaki. Emakimono was influenced for the East Asian format for writing in which texts are written from right to left. The format of emaki are horizontal and opens from left to right, this provided a natural way to relate text and images . Emakimono are usually depicted in two style otoko-e (men’s picture) and onna-e (women’s pictures). Otoko-e stemmed from the monochrome paintings and paintings with light use of color. These otoko-e painting...
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... hair and the face of the women show no emotion. While a nyobo (hand maiden) combs the mistress’s hair, another lady-in-waiting reads from a manuscript. The chamber is decadent with bright colors and beautiful screens of landscape paintings.
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When that room is entered all voices are hushed, and all merriment silenced. The place is as holy as a church. In the centre of the canvas is the Virgin Mother with a young, almost girlish face or surpassing loveliness. In her eyes affection and wonder are blended, and the features and the figure are the most spiritual and beautiful in the world's art.
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Gatten, Aileen. "Review: Criticism and the Genji." The Journal of the Association of Teachers of Japanese 22.1 (1988): 84. JSTOR. Web. 26 Feb. 2011.
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Gaskin, Carol. and Hawkins, Vince. The Ways of the Samurai. New York: Byron Preiss Visual
Matthew Gerber. “The Importance of Poetry in Japanese Heian-era Romantic Relationships”. 2007 May. 2011 June 3.
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Shirane Haruo. et al. Early Modern Japanese Literature: An Anthology 1600-1900. New York: Colombia University Press, 2002. Print.
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