OBJECTIVES: Identify key characteristics of artworks in Chinese, Japanese, and Philippine art. 01 Explain how the distinct characteristics of Chinese, Japanese, and Philippines art reflect their cultural diversity and enhance appreciation of Asian art by writing a short essay. 02 03 Appreciate the artistic diversity of Chinese, Japanese, and Philippine arts by creating a culturally inspired porter or artwork.
CIVILIZATIONS
CHINA
CHINESE ART
“The real arts of merit in China were calligraphy & painting.” – Mark Cartwright
Ancient China covered a vast and ever-changing geopolitical landscape, and the art it produced over three millennia is, unsurprisingly, just as varied. There are certain qualities inherent in Chinese art which make it possible to describe in general terms and recognize no matter where or when it was produced and for what purpose.
ESSENTIAL QUALITIES : 1. Love of nature 2. Moral and educative capacity of art 3. Admiration of simplicity 4. Appreciation of accomplished brushwork 5. Interest in viewing the subject from various perspectives 6. Loyalty to much-used motifs and designs from lotus leaves to dragons.
Confucianism was the dominant way of life subscribed to by the general public. Those who subscribed to principles espoused by Confucius believed that in order for society to work, one must learn how to sympathize to others. These principles became evident in most artworks depicting everyday life and how these social interactions come to play.
PAINTINGS
POPULAR FORMATS: 1. Walls (from c. 1100 BCE) 2. Coffins and boxes (from c. 800 BCE) 3. Screens (from c. 100 CE) 4. Silk scrolls (from c. 100 CE for horizontal and from c. 600 CE for vertical) 5. Fixed fans (from c. 1100 CE) 6. Book covers (from c. 1100 CE) 7. Folding fans (from c. 1450 CE)
Walls (from c. 1100 BCE)
Coffins and boxes (from c. 800 BCE)
Screens (from c. 100 CE)
Silk scrolls (from c. 100 CE for horizontal and from c. 600 CE for vertical)
Fixed fans (from c. 1100 CE)
Book covers (from c. 1100 CE)
Folding fans (from c. 1450 CE)
THEMES: 1. Portrait 2. Landscape
Portraits in Chinese art began in the Warring States Period (5th-3rd century BCE) and were traditionally rendered with great restraint, usually because the subject was a great scholar, monk or court official and so should, by definition, have a good moral character which should be portrayed with respect by the artist.
Portrait of Emperor Taizong Receiving the Tibetan Envoy
The Emperor Ming Huang Travelling in Shu
CALLIGRAPHY
The art of calligraphy - and for the ancient Chinese it certainly was an art - aimed to demonstrate superior control and skill using brush and ink.
Li Po’s Calligraphy
ORNAMENTS
Porcelain is one of the commonly used items to make decorative ornaments, such as vases and jars. The porcelain of the Ming Dynasty of China (1368-1644 CE) benefitted, as did other arts, from the economic success of the 15th century CE, in particular, and the consequent surge in demand for quality handcraft production both at home and abroad.
JAPANESE ART
Japanese art covers a wide range of art styles and media, including ancient pottery, sculpture in wood and bronze, ink painting on silk and paper, calligraphy, ceramics, architecture, oil painting, literature, drama and music.
Artifacts like ceramic figures and ornaments show the influence of Korean and Chinese art on Japanese creation.
Haniwa
The native religion of Japan is Shintoism. Although, this religion subscribes to beliefs such as being one with nature and embracing the notion of the existence of many gods, it did not use art to communicate its beliefs. Buddhism became an integral part of Japanese culture.
PAINTINGS
The Japanese style of painting leaned toward abstract and naturalistic handling. In essence, the artist is given the free reign for his work, which had more room for spontaneity and individuality. Many artists focused on individual portraits, elements of nature, and most commonly scenes from everyday life in creating their artworks.
Ase o fuku onna (Woman Wiping Face)
The Japanese also developed a kind of painting called the ukiyo-e (Floating World), which was crafted through woodcut prints.
Hokusai: The Breaking Wave off Kanagawa
CERAMICS: POTTERY AND PORCELAIN
The ceramics , among the best in the world, represent the first known artifacts of Japanese culture. Ceramics are made from raw materials like clay and pottery stone, which contain components with glasslike qualities.
Jōmon period dogū figurines
POTTERY & THE CEREMONY
The tea ceremony , perfected by tea master Sen no Rikyū late in the Muromachi period, uses pottery unique to Japan. This includes specialized utensils, flower vases, and rustic bowls such as Raku ware and Oribe ware. Imari ware—a kind of porcelain once made in the town of Arita, Saga Prefecture, which is now famous for Arita ware.
Kakiemon -features overglaze enamel decoration in harmony with the white porcelain.
PHILIPPINE ART
Throughout Philippine history, spanning from the precolonial period to the contemporary periods, different art forms have emerged in the Philippine art scene. Most art forms used by ethnic communities include pottery, weaving, carving, and the use of metalwork and jewelry ( Caslib , et al., 2018).
CALLIGRAPHY
The Philippines has numerous indigenous scripts collectively called as suyat . By the end of colonialism, only four of the suyat scripts survived and continue to be used by certain communities in everyday life.
4 SCRIPTS: Hanunó’o / hanunoo of the Hanuno’o Mangyan people Buhid / buid of the Buhid Mangyan people Purahuano / tagbanwa of the Tagbanwa people Palaw’an / pala’wan of the Palaw’an people
POTTERY
Pottery is said to be one of the earliest art forms used by the early Filipino people. One of the most prominent artifacts related to pottery is the Manunggal Jar found in Palawan.
WEAVING
Weaving was also one of the earliest forms of art expressions in the Philippines. Weaving in the Philippines dates back to the 13th century. It makes use of local cotton, fibers, abaca, and pineapple as raw material.
CORDILLERA T’NALAK
Mat weaving does not utilize a loom or similar equipment and instead relies on the craftsfolk's attention in hand-weaving.
WOODCARVING
Woodcarvings from Palawan also depict animals like birds, which are representations of their religious beliefs. In Mindanao, the Tausug and Maranao people are known for their okir , which are designs applied to their woodcarvings.
The Okir (motif) is a design or pattern often rendered or curved in hardwood, brass, silver and wall painting in curvilinear lines and Arabic geometric figures.
SARIMANOK
The sarimanok is a stylized design of a mythical bird either standing on a fish or holding a piece of fish on its beak. The story of the sarimanok was a central figure to a number of legends.
PAINTINGS
When the Spaniards discovered the Philippines during the sixteenth century, they introduced their religion to the local people. Aside from acquiring resources, they had a goal to replace the existing indigenous cultural practices and beliefs of the early Filipinos. Art was used by the Spaniards to propagate their Christian faith while at the same time, subtly establishing their foothold in the country.
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