The Arts of Japan

From the emergence of primitive Shinto in ancient Japan, follow the development of art, craft and design up to the present in this Japanese art course. The advent of Buddhism exerted a great influence, notably through sculpture, painting, calligraphy and architecture which developed steadily, becoming the dominant influence on all the arts up to the tenth century.

By the 12th century, the ruling military elite had become important patrons of the arts, evident in the swords, armour, and the warrior aesthetic of the samurai. The culture of the townspeople during the Edo period (1615-1868) transformed concepts of decoration and design, as seen through ukiyo-e prints, fashionable dress, lacquerware, ceramics, and metalware.

Contact with the West, at first limited, had by the nineteenth century opened Japan to new markets and influences, resulting in a great melding of art forms and aesthetics. The engagement of Japan with global currents in architecture and design, fashion and photography shaped the production of innovative art forms at home and abroad up to the present, significantly contributing to emerging technologies and popular culture.