Asian Cultures

Influences

• Religion:– India was the birth place of Buddhism and Hinduism.– Which later traveled to China, Korea, and Japan. – Buddhism was based on a path of right

understanding that led to nirvana (release from the cycle of life and death)

– Hinduism believed in sacrifice to a deity in order to attain release form the cycle of life and death and be at one with the universal spirit.

Influences continued….• Later, the Chinese philosophies of Daoism and

Confucianism contributes to the culture with beliefs that anyone can cultivate wisdom and ability, which leads to good for all.

Influences….

• Religion was the biggest influence in the early Asian arts. However, Utility and function also played an important part in the creation of art and architecture.

Architecture

• Hindu temple architecture was monumental in size.

• Temples were elaborately fashioned and sometimes carved right out of rock. – Example of this is Pampapati Temple located in the city

of Vijayanagara in southern India. – magestic, beautifully decorated 11-tier tower – Built between the 13th and 17th century. – Dedicated to Virupaksha, an aspect of Shiva, and his

consort Pampa, a local diety.

Buddhist Architecture• The first Buddhist architectural structures in

India were stupas• Stupas: mound shaped buildings used to

house the relics of Buddha's body. • These were more like shrines than temples.

Structures in china

• Many of the early Buddhist temples in China were sophisticated structures constructed in wood.

• The Chinese pagoda emerged as a tall tower structure with many stories, each one having its own projecting roof with upturned eaves.

Liurong Temple

Architecture in Japan• Temples in early Japan

were grand wooden structures that served as elaborate shrines to Buddha

• They echoed Chinese architectural influences

• Some of the oldest surviving wooden structures in the world.

Calligraphy

• Calligraphy: decorative or fine handwriting generally created with a quill, reed pen, or brush.

• 4,000 year old writing system based on symbols

• Serves as a common means to communicate• Botha form of writing and an art form

• The symbols are painted with ink and a pointed tip brush of animal hair set in a bamboo shaft on paper silk, both of which are absorbent and do not allow correction or erasing.

• Symbols stands for a word • You do not have to be able to read the words

to appreciate the painting. • Calligraphy is abstract art.

Ceramics

• Ceramic pottery has early origins in China and Japan dating back to 10,000BCE.

• Jomon: an early Japanese pottery with interesting texture and unique cord markings that embellish the surface in a rich array of patterns and design.

Ceramics continued…

• Early Asian ceramics varied in size, shapes, some had lids, spouts, and most were created without a potters wheel.

• Painted and glazed mostly with red and black color.

• China contributed a wealth of ceramic knowledge in early times.

• Porcelain: a hard, white, translucent form of ceramics.

• Porcelain was originally used for decorative and funerary purposes and later was used fro more functional pieces.

Chinese and Japanese Painting

• Scrolls were very popular • Painting on a long piece of paper

or silk. • Scrolls could be hanging or hand

scrolls. – They were intended to be rolled up

so that the viewer could open small parts at a time enjoying the scenes until the entire painting is revealed.

• Traditional scroll painting had four categories: – Religious paintings– Landscape paintings– Portrait paintings– Paintings of plants or animals.

• Characteristics of traditional Chinese paintings:– Importance of line– A lack of shading– Emphasis on capturing the feel or spirit of the

object.

Other Early Asian Art forms

• Textiles: artworks that are created from natural or man made fibers. Weaving, basketry, stitchery, and knitting are just a few of the processes involved in textile design.

• Batik: A method of dyeing cloth that originated in Indonesia, in this method designs are created by coating with wax the parts not to be dyed.

Japanese Printmaking

• Wood block printing appeared in Japan during the Edo period (1615-1867)

• Images are cut into a wood block then inked and transferred onto paper or silk.

• Early prints were black and white and later on multicolor were gradually used.

• Placement and transfer must be precise.