The History of Japanese Art
Japan was isolated from the Western world between the 17th to the mid-19th Century. The isolation led to a distinct and unique culture with Chinese influence. When Japan finally opened its doors to the western world in the 19th Century, its art became a sensation in Europe and America and was the key factor in the development of the arts in the Western Culture.
Japanese culture has strong ties with the physical environment. This has developed over the centuries due to the climatic differences and seismic activity which has played a very prominent role in the beauty of the land. (Bru, 2017)
Japanese Visual Arts
Chinese painting influenced the early style of Japanese art. However, Japanese art evolved to be more naturalistic. Individual portraits, scenes of daily life, studies of plants and animals were done, and these images were handled with spontaneity and individualism. (Jirousek, 2017)
Shinto, which is the native belief system of Japan revels in the tenderness and the beauty of the seasons. These seasonal pictorials can be found in almost every form of Japanese visual art. From the spring cherry blossoms to the winter scenes of barren trees.
Painting by far is the preferred expression of art by the Japanese. In modern times, the Japanese have ventured out into other art forms such as sculptures, ceramic vessels and lacquerware; but these still follow the similar scenes from nature.
In Summary
As Japan is an island with beautiful natural surroundings and high seismic activity, the Japanese respect the land they live in. The lack of wilderness, the natural disasters – tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanoes, the change of seasons, are the theme for many artwork that are produced in Japan.