 International
Effects on Art
|
|
India was a great contributor to art. When the religion of Buddhism
came from there to China and Korea, it picked up various ideas. Finally,
it came to Japan. In Japan, it was also changed to suit the country. This
was the time of greatest artistic development in Japan and it was almost
all religious.
|
|
Statues, pictures, architecture and customs were all affected by this
very old religion. Much of Japan's greatest art was created at that time.
In China, the varied arts were melded together and formed the art that
they took to Korea, where it was further developed. Then it came to Japan.
In Japan, the schools of art tried to develop pure Japanese art, but it
was very hard to get a separate type of art, when Chinese art was so strong
and had so many different cultures affecting it.
|
|
In fact, it is nearly impossible to find pure Japanese art because it
is almost always mixed up with Chinese ideas. The best way is to just
enjoy the beauty of the mixture. Many times I've seen beautiful pictures
of Japan with a little Chinese man in them, or a beautiful Chinese style
picture, with a little Japanese house or man in it. It seems to be impossible
to separate them. Pottery shows the effect of Korean potters, Chinese
potters, and even the ancient Japanese potters, who may have come from
Europe, other countries to the outh, or west, of Japan.
|
|
The study of art is so fascinating that I have trouble putting down
a book on the subject. When someone shows me some art, I usually try to
decide where it originated from the design, especially if it is a good
piece, done by a well-trained artist. Even he might have trouble telling
us where the design came from! This is really an interesting study! It
is especially significant when we look at the really ancient history of
Japan's development.
|
|
As I will mention at intervals in this, and other books, the really
ancient Japanese may have been Caucasion. This is proven by the fact that
the Ainu were the first race recorded in Japan. They were often called,
Yemushi in those days. They were also persecuted by the new immigrants,
who came to Japan in the Christian Era. However, to go back even further,
there were people here in this country further back than the Neanderthals.
This is proven by archeological discoveries made recently.
|
|
The Neanderthal were here from their beginning about 250,000 years ago,
until 40,000 years ago. After that time, it is believed that people from
northern Europe migrated here to escape various natural calamities that
were afflicting the Earth at that time. Their progress to Japan, which
may have been part of the mainland then, was not fast and many animals
also came. People also went to the Americas as it was connected, by land,
to Asia, and crossing was easy. The origins of the true people of this
country, probably will never be known exactly, but the above information
must always be considered.
|
|
Other discoveries have shown that thousands of years ago, the land was
not as it is now. What is now tropical, was arctic in the distant past.
These are not suppositions, but fact. Always keep a flexible and open
mind when dealing with the past. Fixing your mind is not a good idea,
and something will always arise to change it. This is especially true
of Japan!
|
|
Art changes as the cultures affecting it change. The Ainu worship much
as the old Neanderthal did. Other customs also are similar. Study a large
variety of books and you will learn!
|