Page 69 - Studio International - July August 1973

in terms of a series of key pictures. Sometimes culture, a fashion even, which penetrated every hyperbole these artists (Sotatsu and Korin
the method pays off, sometimes it does not, area of urban life. The newfangled dance of among them) have indeed had a continuing
especially when it is applied to the early period Izumo-no-Okuni came to be called the Kabuki, influence on Japanese arts and crafts which
which is rarely treated satisfactorily in but the verb to `kabuku' originally meant the is still felt today. Though each had a speciality
discussions of Beckmann and which, surely, is equivalent of modish, 'with it', and it is said that they were versatile enough and part of a society
crucial to an understanding of the painter's Okuni became kabuku when she danced with a still free enough for them to try their hand at
later work. Moreover, this method leads to rosary around her neck. anything that took their fancy.
certain inadequacies : forced to see everything In the visual arts however two distinct Hon'ami Koetsu, the least known of the four,
in terms of a limited number of pictures, the currents merged in namban: the purely western is mainly remembered for the superb calligraphy
author often leaves important things out. Be import and the Japanese hybrid version of he executed on the richly painted scrolls that
that as it may, the illustrations are of a high western styles and subjects. The former is more Sotatsu produced. But he was also a potter, a
order, the translation is good, and as an a phenomenon than anything else: a complete lacquer craftsman and a master of Noh music.
introduction to the work of a fascinating artist catechism, the Doctrina Christan, printed with Sotasu was mainly a painter and responsible
this book performs its function well. metal, moveable type, illustrated with for the revival of the old Yamato-e genre
FRANK WHITFORD engravings and with a text in romanized of painting which had fallen into disuse after the
Japanese spelt phonetically in the Portuguese Chinese influence in the fifteenth century. He
manner; a St Peter in oils on canvas, painted had the amazing ability to adapt the
Eastern approaches by a Japanese student ofthe Jesuit Nicolao. compositional devices of fan-painting,
The Namban Art of japan by Yoshitomo These only make one marvel at how fast and essentially a miniature form, and apply them to
Okamoto. 156 pp., illus. Edo Painting, Sotatsu accurately the Japanese mastered foreign monumental screen and sliding-door decoration,
and Korin by Hiroshi Mizuo. 162 pp., illus. techniques. But their value is surely more seeing, explains the author of this book with the
From the Heibonsha Survey of Japanese Art, documentary than artistic. It is when the aid of elaborate diagrams, the centre of the
UK distributors Phaidon. L4 each. Christian Japanese incorporated the new screen as the pivot of a folding fan.
iconography and symbolism into the traditional Ogata Korin might be the most interesting
Not many westerners (except perhaps those arts and crafts that we can talk of influence. Or of these four artists for the modern Western
educated by Jesuits) know that there was a brief when non-Christian artists depict Europeans reader because this painter with his bold, flat
period in Japanese history between 1543 and seen from afar as curious specimens in expanses of colour and gold, reminds one
168 when the silver and silk trade with outlandish costumes performing strange constantly of Gustav Klimt. Kenzan, the
Portugal and the advent of Christianity almost actions. Many of these pictures of westerners younger brother of Korin, was a potter, but
succeeded in dramatically transforming seen through Oriental eyes were done on screens after the death of his brother, who did many of
Japanese art and culture. During this period and many ofthese were not discovered until the paintings on his ceramics, he did his own
which followed the unification and pacification the early part of this century. decorations with painting and also a very
of the country under three successive war lords, Although today there is a Namban Museum individual style of calligraphy.
both Chinese Ming art, exulting in gold leaf in Kobe comparatively few Japanese scholars Mr Mizuo loves his period and his book is a
and bright colours, and the Baroque of Southern venture into the depths of Namban culture reflection of that love. Both this and the Namban
Europe merged into one curious, exotic and because of the necessity for some knowledge of book are excellently illustrated, and although the
confused style. Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and Latin. Few construction of Mr Mizuo's volume is a little
It was an energetic if frantic period. The scholars have such expertise and others lack the awkward and strange the information he gives
Kabuki theatre was born; missionaries wrote to courage to wander into the mysteries of the is always fascinating. The Heibonsha survey
Rome of 150,000 new Christians and of the need Catholicism ofthat period. Mr Okamoto is one is filling a very necessary gap. There
for 200 churches; successful upstart generals of the brave souls who has ventured and has has long been a need for a moderately priced
cultivated the tea-ceremony, wore silks from obviously enjoyed the exercise. One of the history of Japanese art in English and when all
China and velvet from Portugal, and took reasons the book seems so easy to understand is the volumes in the survey have been published
concubines from the daughters of the ancient that he is writing for a Japanese reader who does much will have been done to satisfy that need.
Kyoto aristocracy. not know the history of that period except in an CECILIA DRESSER
Probably because Yoshitomo Okamoto is an often sentimentalized form. Another advantage
historian and Spanish scholar first and art for the reader is that the author has just
historian second, his book succeeds more in completed a truly monumental work on the Contributors to this issue
evoking the sense of its amazing period than in Namban byobu, the screen paintings, and the art Cyril Barrett is in the School of Philosophy at
revealing the qualities of its art. But its historical knowledge he obviously acquired the University of Warwick . . . Frank Whitford
emphasis on the history proper is a virtue, for it while researching that book was of great benefit is a contributing editor to Studio International...
explains much ofthe background which will when he was writing this. Andrew Dewdney has studied at Hornsey and
be unknown to most non-Japanese readers. After the missionaries had been expelled the Royal College of Art . . . Tim Craig is a
This, for example, is the first volume of this from Japan and the Christians killed, exiled or freelance writer and art critic . .. Toni
Heibonsha survey in translation which includes otherwise eliminated, Japan settled into the del Renzio is an Italian critic . . . R. Cardinal
a map of Japan to help the reader. comfortable prosperity oftotal isolation and the is Lecturer in French and Tutor in the
Namban art — the word literally means Namban style survived only in some kinds of Post-graduate Dept. of the University of Kent.
`Southern Barbarian' (the characters were lacquerware. He recently published a book 'Outsider Art' . . .
devised by the unflattering Chinese to describe The Genroku era (1688-1704) saw the John Tagg has recently completed a thesis at
the swarthy Latins who arrived from the south) flowering of a culture freed from any foreign the Royal College of Art, on Max Raphael's
— has not been celebrated in Japan for long. influence. For many historians this was one of theory of art . . . Andrew Forge is an advisory
Much of it was destroyed during the 25o years the best periods of Japanese history and it seems editor to Studio International . . .Rosemary
of enforced isolation when anything connected clear that Hiroshi Mizuo, the author of Edo Main is a Courtauld post-graduate student and
with Christianity was suppressed, and even after Painting, is one of those historians who believe Witt Library assistant in the Modern Collection
the Meiji restoration in 868 the study of that the four artists whose work he discusses in dept. . . . Cecilia Dresser is responsible for
Namban, although not actively discouraged, this volume are 'reasons why one feels fortunate Japanese books in the University Library,
was not pursued. But during its heyday it was a to have been born in Japan. In spite of the Cambridge.
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