3.56 Map of Asia: India, China, and Japan

Introduction India, China, and Japan are part of Asia Philosophy and religious traditions Religious pluralism and syncretic (blending two or more belief systems) Characteristics often in common: Meditation Respect for ancestors Harmony with nature

Philosophical and Religious Traditions in Asia Buddhism Teachings of Buddha Acceptance of difficulties Desire to attain Enlightenment Confucianism Based on philosophy of Confucius Self-discipline Ancestral worship Daoism (The Way) Based on teachings of Lao Zi Balance of opposites Harmony with the universe

Philosophical and Religious Traditions in Asia cont. Hinduism Reincarnation Karma Polytheistic Islam Belief in a single God (Allah) Follow the teachings of the Koran Shinto (Way of the Gods) Belief in Kami (spirits in nature) Ancestral worship

India Peninsula in southern Asia bordered on north by Himalayas One-third the size of the United States Stylistic characteristics of art: Very detailed and elaborate decoration Emphasis on human body Often sensual Suggestive of fertility

Buddhism in Indian Art Buddha (The Enlightened One) Born a prince in Nepal, India At age 29 became an ascetic His teachings were spread throughout India after his death Buddha’s remains buried in eight stupas (burial mounds) marking important locations in his life

3.57 Great Stupa, third century BCE, enlarged under the Sunga and Andhra Dynasties, c. 150–50 BCE, Sanchi, India

3.58 East gate of Great Stupa, Sanchi, India

3. 59 Bodhisattva Padmapani, Cave 1, Ajanta, India 3.59 Bodhisattva Padmapani, Cave 1, Ajanta, India. Cave painting, second half of 5th century

Hinduism in Indian Art Hinduism is the third largest religion in the world, and the majority of its followers are in India Thousands of temples in India, built by centuries of rulers

3. 60 Kandariya Mahadeva temple, c 3.60 Kandariya Mahadeva temple, c. 1000, Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, India

3.61 Detail of exterior sculpture, Kandariya Mahadeva temple

Islam in Indian Art Mughals took over India in mid-16th century, and ruled for centuries Commissioned new artworks Persian artists Indian artists

3. 62 Bichitr, Jahangir Preferring a Sufi Shaykh to Kings, from the St 3.62 Bichitr, Jahangir Preferring a Sufi Shaykh to Kings, from the St. Petersburg album, Mughal Dynasty, c. 1615–18. Opaque watercolor, gold, and ink on paper, 18⅞ × 13”. Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

3.63 Taj Mahal, 1631–48, Agra, India

“The Abode of Paradise”: The Taj Mahal To appreciate the astonishing achievement of the Taj Mahal in more detail, watch: “The Abode of Paradise”: The Taj Mahal

China Yellow and Yangtze rivers Same size as the United States Stylistic characteristics of art: Reveals respect for heritage and ancestral worship Encourages an inspired meditative state Generally uniform, symmetrical, and precise

Chinese Scroll Painting The Three Perfections: Calligraphy Painting Poetry Hanging or hand scrolls Read from right to left Should be experienced like a personal journey, not all at once Are often marked with signs of ownership or appreciation

3. 64 Wang Meng, Ge Zhichuan Moving His Dwelling, c. 1360 3.64 Wang Meng, Ge Zhichuan Moving His Dwelling, c.1360. Hanging scroll, ink and color on paper, 54¾ × 22⅞”. Palace Museum, Beijing, China

3.65 Zhang Zeduan, Along the River during the Qingming Festival, Northern Song Dynasty, 11th century. Handscroll, ink and color on silk, 10” × 17’ 3”. Palace Museum, Beijing, China

3.66 Detail of Zhang Zeduan, Along the River during the Qingming Festival

Death and the Afterlife Ancestral worship Fine objects buried with the dead Chinese believed dead become supernatural beings

3. 67 Ritual wine vessel (guang), late Shang dynasty, c. 1700–1050 BCE 3.67 Ritual wine vessel (guang), late Shang dynasty, c. 1700–1050 BCE. Bronze, 6½ × 3¼ × 8½”. Brooklyn Museum, New York

3.68 Detail from painted banner from tomb of Lady Dai Hou Fu-ren, Han Dynasty, c. 168 BCE. Silk. Hunan Museum, Changsha, China

Japan Country made up of many small islands About the same square-footage as California Stylistic characteristics of art: Reveals great reverence for nature Japan is vulnerable to tsunamis and earthquakes Kami – spirits present everywhere, including in nature Often asymmetrical and organic Contemplative to promote meditation

3. 69 Sonoko Sasaki, Sea in the Sky, 2007 3.69 Sonoko Sasaki, Sea in the Sky, 2007.Tsumugi-ito silk thread and vegetable dyes, 70⅞ × 51¼”. Collection of the artist

3.70 Sonoko Sasaki at work at her loom

The Japanese Tea Ceremony Chanoyu (Way of the Tea) Ritual can take several hours To find peace, quiet conversation Rooted in Zen Buddhism – working toward Enlightenment Tea masters highly trained

3. 71 Sen no Rikyu, Taian teahouse, interior, c. 1582 3.71 Sen no Rikyu, Taian teahouse, interior, c. 1582. Myoki-an Temple, Kyoto, Japan

3.72 Hon’ami Koetsu, Teabowl (called Mount Fuji), Edo period, early 17th century. Raku ware, 3⅜” high. Sakai Collection, Tokyo, Japan

3.73 Hungry Tigress, panel from the Tamamushi Shrine, Horyu-ji Temple, Nara, Asuka period, c. 650. Lacquer on wood, shrine 7’7¾” high. Horyu-Ji Treasure House, Japan

3. 74 Scene from the Tale of Genji 3.74 Scene from the Tale of Genji. Heian period, first half of 12th century. Hand scroll, ink and color on paper, 8⅝ × 18⅞”. Tokugawa Art Museum, Nagoya, Japan

Ukiyo-e Japanese woodblock prints “Pictures of the floating world” Easily reproducible for the masses Inexpensive “Pictures of the floating world” Capture moments in daily life From Buddhist belief that life is fleeting Scenes include geishas, actors, brothels, landscapes, and different classes of women

3. 75 Kitagawa Utamaro, Two Courtesans, second half of 18th century 3.75 Kitagawa Utamaro, Two Courtesans, second half of 18th century. Woodblock print, 12⅝ × 7½”. Victoria and Albert Museum, London, England

3. 76 Mary Cassatt, The Child’s Bath, 1893. Oil on canvas, 39½ × 26” 3.76 Mary Cassatt, The Child’s Bath, 1893. Oil on canvas, 39½ × 26”. Art Institute of Chicago

3.77 Katsushika Hokusai, “The Great Wave off Shore at Kanagawa”, from Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji, 1826–33 (printed later). Print, color woodcut. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

3.78 Yin and yang symbol

Discussion question In what ways are religion and philosophy reflected in artworks from Asia? Cite examples from India, China, and Japan.

Discussion question Humankind’s relationship with nature is a strong element in many artworks from Asia. Consider the artist’s interpretation of nature in three artworks introduced in this chapter.

Discussion question Chinese scroll paintings are a unique kind of artwork. Discuss the format of a scroll, how it is viewed, and the skills needed by the artist. How do these characteristics of scroll paintings differ from other kinds of painting you have studied?

Discussion question Religious and political leaders often influence the kinds and quantities of artworks made in a certain time or culture. Cite two examples in which a ruler or leader impacted the art of Asia. What role did he or she play?

Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts This concludes the PowerPoint slide set for Chapter 3.3 Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts By Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, M. Kathryn Shields Copyright © 2011 Thames & Hudson

Picture Credits for Chapter 3.3 3.56 Drazen Tomic 3.57 iStockphoto.com 3.58 © Tom Hanley/Alamy 3.59 © Susanna Bennett/Alamy 3.60 © Frédéric Soltan/Sygma/Corbis 3.61 © Pep Roig/Alamy 3.62 Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., Purchase F1942.15a 3.63 iStockphoto.com 3.64, 3.65, 3.66 Palace Museum, Beijing 3.67 Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Alastair B. Martin, the Guennol Collection, 72.163a–b 3.68 Hunan Museum, Changsha 3.69 Courtesy the artist 3.70 Photo Shunji Ohkura 3.71 TRIP photographic library, photographer F. Good/Art Directors 3.72 Sakai Collection, Tokyo 3.73 Horyu-ji Treasure House, Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan 3.74 The Tokugawa Art Museum, Nagoya 3.75 V&A Images/Alamy 3.76 The Art Institute of Chicago, Robert A. Waller Fund, 1910.2 3.77 Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Prints & Photographs Division, H. Irving Olds collection, LC-DIG-jpd-02018 3.78 iStockphoto.com