La Vague Du Japonisme: the Effects of Japanese Art on French Art in the Late 19th Century

French impressionists such as Gaugin, Manet and Monet are some of the many who were overcome by this bombardment of Asian art. Morimura has introduced wit into this work by substituting rose leaves in the place of fig leaves to hide his genitals. This can be seen as a form of revenge on Manet for he was a ‘pupil’ of Japanese art. This mystery of sexual identity also leads to a sense of intertextuality that stems from Morimura’s role as an androgynous critic.

Although the relationship between Australia and Japan is mainly based around the political and economic aspects, factors such as cultural and educational exchange also play a notable role. Japan and Australia signed a cultural agreement in 1974, which allowed the two countries to conduct various cultural exchanges. The mutual respect between Australia and Japan is at an all time high (Tom.W 2001:30). Knowledge of and interest in each country's culture is strong, although it is often misunderstood. For example, a majority of Australians tend to have difficulty recognising the sophistication and uniqueness of the traditional Japanese art forms. Similarly, Japanese people do not generally see beyond the vibrancy and diversity of Australian art. Nevertheless, artistic and cultural exchange between Australia and Japan is now more evenly balanced than ever before. Today people have more opportunities to see artistic developments in each other's countries. The presentation of Japanese art to Australian people has played a vital task in promoting a wider appreciation of Japanese culture.

The author who brought to us The Tale of Genji, a novel now regarded as the first written novel in history, left behind an arguably more treasurable artifact: a diary that opens a window into history. The Diary of Lady Murasaki by Lady Murasaki Shikibu gives the reader a glimpse of the imperial court during eleventh century Japan and presents the past in an illuminated vision. Being an attendant in the imperial court, Lady Murasaki is frequently involved with the activities of elite Japanese women. Her day-to-day interaction with the nobles and elites enhance her account with the curious perspective of an elite female. As a woman, Lady Murasaki's descriptions are oriented around clothing

By analyzing the history of Kusama, a fundamental explanation or motive for the themes of Kusama’s art can be gleaned. Yayoi Kusama was born in 1929 in Matsumoto, Japan during a tumultuous time of economic crises. The Japanese population was extremely oppressed by the Japanese military as the Great Depression reached Japan. Kusama began to express enthusiasm in making art as she began exhibiting her work in her teens; however, her family was not supportive of her interest and tried to influence her towards a conventional path of becoming a traditional Japanese housewife. Kusama’s relationship with her family, and especially the relationship with her mother, was a contributing factor to her anger against any kind of political and social oppression. Kusama’s mother was a disciplinarian figure in the family and tried to force her daughter to follow traditional gender roles, which disregarded Kusama’s aspiration of professionally pursuing art. However, Kusama’s creative ambitions were not curtailed by her family’s conflicting interests or the demanding work called upon her following the outbreak of World War Two.

The injustice surrounding the Indigenous populations in Mexico and Central America began with the Spanish colonies in the sixteenth century, and the struggle for their land and constitution rights has been an ongoing battle for hundreds of years. The indigenous people take up a large part of the population in Mexico and Central America. (See Table 1; Graph 1 below). Indigenous people make up of over 16 percent of the Mexican population, and over 66 percent of the population is indigenous in Guatemala. The historical reality of the indigenous peoples in Central America has been one poverty, eviction from their land, political violence and mistreatment at the hands of

Japan is often recognized as a land of peace, beauty, and diverse landscapes and climates that cannot be witnessed anywhere else on the planet. A majority of Japanese citizens practice Shintoism, a polytheistic religion whose gods exist within plants and animals. Because of this, an appreciation for nature is ingrained deep into the foundation of Japan’s values. This can be seen throughout the country’s entire history; much of its art and poetry has been focused solely on its natural beauty. Sudden Shower Over Shin-Ohashi Bridge and Atake is a famous Japanese woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige published in 1857, one of many that shows an appreciation for Japan’s beautiful landscapes. The print belongs the ukiyo-e genre that emerged between the 17th and 19th century. Ukiyo-e literally translates to “pictures of the floating world” and the style dominated the art of Japan’s Edo Period. What began as a reflection of Japan’s indulgent and hedonistic culture, portraying subjects like beautiful women and extravagant scenes from the Kabuki theater, gradually transitioned into capturing landscapes and the lives of average people. Hiroshige was one of the pioneers of this transition with his famed One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, a 119-piece series that features celebrated landscapes in his hometown of Edo, known as Tokyo today, and his last great success before his death. Sudden Shower Over Shin-Ohashi Bridge and Atake is one of the pieces that belong to his series.

Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai helped expose the Western world to Japanese customs and beliefs. His crucial impact on culture and art can be attributed to his notable and familiar depictions of Japan’s geography, architecture, and people that surrounded him. Hokusai’s unique blend of traditional Japanese methods and Western mediums made his work a source of inspiration for many European artists during the Impressionism era such as Van Gogh, Monet, and Degas.

In section two Transformation of Bodily Exposure in Meiji Japan, Kawano introduced when and how Japan was regarded as a state that signaled a lack of civility and modesty. According to her factual description, due to the arrival of Commodore Perry’s fleet in 1853 and the treaty of 1854, the United State forced Japan to reopen its doors to the world. Since then, Japanese people were introduced to new ideas of bodily modesty, such as the feelings of shame and eroticism associated with

It is no secret that for centuries, the Japanese woman has been, to most observers, a model of elegance and graceful beauty. A picture of a kimono-clad, modest, and often silent woman has been plastered everywhere, allowing for the upmost passive subjection. If we look deeper into this image of woman, can we tell if this picture is complete? How do these women painted in representative images far in the modern world? The ideal woman in Japan is expected to be both a good wife, and a wise mother. Though these seem like reasonable expectations, there is a much deeper meaning to them that has shown signs of being outdated. During the 1800’s and 1900’s, women were subjected to society’s vision of them, and could not break free for fear of the

The above quote was my first step into the research of the Heian era. Introduced to it by a friend who had gone to school for a year in Japan, Makura no Soshi (“The Pillow Book”), written by, Sei Shōnagon and Murasaki Shikibu’s Tale of Genji brought to me a wealth of knowledge and even more fascinating questions. Given such rich cultural information, as a researcher and anthropologist it fed my desire to know more, and allowed me to really get into the nuances of court life as well as glimpses into the everyday life of the people of Heian Japan. Sometimes, one of the hardest things to learn of an ancient or medieval culture is the details of daily life. Here, however, we are gifted with primary resources, from the noble, upper class women of

As a specialist in the telecom field, an aspect of my responsibilities requires that I climb our TV transmitting poles to watch that the structure is OK, watch that the links are in great request, and to check for air spills. The vast, empty 150mm measurement links are pressurized with dry air to keep them free of dampness. We now and again need to climb these poles with a jug of children air pocket blowing liquid, and a paintbrush, and we paint the blend onto joints and territories of the link that could be broken or punctured. On the off chance that there's an air spill, you can see the air pockets framing.

In 1635, millions of people were sealed within the island nation of Japan where they remained undisturbed until 1854 when Commodore Perry forced opened Japan’s doors. It was only a short sixty years later that Japan would defeat one of the great powers in the Russo-Japanese War promoting itself as a world power and a model for other eastern nations. Japan had arrived as a modern country; however, this quick development ignored social issues in favor of policies and laws. It would not be until the twentieth century that Japan would come face-to-face with the societal ills that it had overlooked during the Meiji period. Through the situation of the protagonist and his lover, Toyotarō and Elise, Mori Ogai’s “Dancing Girl” addresses Japan’s uncertain

Portrait of an Arhat (Rakan) was created in Edo period of the Japanese art culture. This period started in 1615-1868 when culture expression started to really blossom for the Japanese culture (Singer). From statues, lavish paintings, and religion the art speaks vibrant vibrations. This culturally diverse period gets its name from the city of Edo, known as Tokyo modern day. Which became the headquarters of the government when Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542 – 1616) unified the country (Department of Asian Art). The Tokugawa regime was started in 1603, when the emperor, in “recognition of Ieyasu’s supremacy on the battlefield”, appointed him shogun. Shogun is the highest military position you can carry in Japan (Singer). After this Japan had strict laws on not using motor vehicles were put into place. Going into the 1630s, contact with the outside world was stopped through “official prohibition of foreigners” (Department of Asian Art). Around 1720 Edo had a population of “more than one million residents having more population than London or Paris at the time” (Singer). According to Art of Edo Japan Kyoto, was city of temples and shrines. It was the leading center of arts and crafts production with a population of close to 400,000 (Singer).

The current US policy is, marijuana is an illegal substance to grow, posses, and sell. For the first time in the United States history, a majority of Americans favor legalizing marijuana. Opponents of legalization argue that making marijuana use legal will lead to an increase in drug related societal problems.

Japanese fashion is one of the most remarkable things about Japan. It is another dimension in itself, complete with subcultures such as the Gothic Lolita and Kogals. Many people are intrigued by how Japanese fashion developed and people all over the world try to dress up like the Japanese because in Japan, there is no such as thing as conformity. Everyone has their own distinct style that sets them apart from others, no matter what subculture they belong to. People all over the world consider Tokyo as one of the fashion capitals of the world.