From the Publisher This magnificently illustrated book presents a panoramic view of Japanese art and culture, from its origins up through modern times, and offers special insight into the connection between Japanese art and the Western world. It examines the development of Japanese civilization through history, touching on its philosophical and religious foundations, and explores characteristic forms of Japanese architecture, sculpture, painting, and the delicate art of ceramics. In addition, Japanese Art offers special insight into quintessential Japanese forms of art such as calligraphy, the tea ceremony, lacquerware, and garden architecture, and includes an exploration of the small portable masterpieces so valued by collectors. On a broader level, this volume is a fundamental introduction to the complex reality of a country so near yet so far from its past. Japan presents a range of sensations that absorb and stun; the silent forests, the temples, the refined excellence of the arts and the artisanship. Nature has always played a dominant role in the life of the Japanese. It has represented both the human and the divine and has profoundly affected its religion, philosophy, literature and, of course, art. Today, changes in traditions are typical of this country, which seems to be aggressively modern and archaic at the same time. This is especially true of the many artistic expressions. For this reason, Japan's influence on Western art during the 1970s is even more astonishing: Japanese painting, calligraphy, architecture, graphics and ceramics inspired many American and European artists with a desire for exotica and renewal, while Japanese artists enthusiastically embraced the international theories and movements. Japanese Art takes the reader on a stunning visual journey through Japan's greatest artistic creations both past and present.
Authors
Stefano Vecchia
Additional Info
- Publisher: Barnes & Noble
- Format: Hardcover
- ISBN: 9780760788844
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