Similarities and Differences between the Basic Art Forms of the Japanese and the America - Coursework Example

Research Paper Research Paper Introduction An analysis of art forms in different regions produces interesting results. This is because there are many similarities, as well differences in their basic art features. However, the bottom-line in the similarities and differences is the fact that available resources and the landforms characterizing each region seem to have been the driving force behind the development of art forms. Resources such as bronze, gold, wood, sand, and stone have been instrumental in shaping objects of art in different regions. The landforms determine the availability of such resources. It is; therefore, possible to compare and contrast the basic features of the art forms of two or more regions. Japan and the Native Americas will form the basis of this essay. The rationale for the selection of Japan and the Native Americas before 1300 is the diversity of their art culture and history. In addition, the two regions are also representative: Japan represents the East while the Native Americas represents the west. It will be interesting to compare and contrast the basic art features of the two diverse regions that lie on the extremes: Japan at the Far East, and native Americas at the west. Another reason for the choice of Japan and native Americas is that the two had no influence on each other before 1300. This; therefore, makes for a strong basis of comparison. The thesis of this essay states that religion and available resources shaped the basic features of the art forms of Japan and the Native Americas. Similarities First, both Japanese and the Native Americas art forms employ the use of great stone statues. The Todaiji Temple in Nara was a massive stone structure that marked Japanese art before 1300. In the Native Americas, there existed the Colossal Heads of the Olmec Culture in Mexico (Kleiner, 2008). Some of the Colossal Heads are as high as nine feet and weight a massive twenty-eight tons. This means that stone was the preferred medium of art in both Japan and the Native Americas. This implies that stone could have been readily available during that time. It also means that their land forms made stone available. In the case of the Colossal Heads, they used a special type of stone known as basalt. They had to obtain it by quarrying in the nearby Tuxtla Mountains. This was not an easy task considering the enormity of the Colossal Heads. The Japanese and the native Americas could have preferred stone for another reason: posterity. They expected the statues to last for centuries. This is true because stone lasts many years before the vagaries of weather or artificial processes begin to take toll on them. Second, both the Japanese and the Native Americas used metals to create their artistic objects. In the Todaiji Temple, there is a gigantic bronze statue of Buddha (Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, 2001). The Native Americas, especially the Adena culture, made copper objects and buried them with their rulers. Both the Japanese and the Native Americas used metal because it was available in their surroundings. Alternatively, they could have acquired it through trade with immediate and far-off neighbors. This is because some metals, like bronze, may have been precious and not readily available. In both Japan and the native Americas, the period before the year 1300 had seen the increasing integration of metal in people’s lives. Some of the common metals at the time were bronze and copper. They obtained the metals by mining or through trade with their respective neighbors. Either way, both the Japanese and the native Americas had the necessary resources needed to obtain such metals. Nevertheless, due to the scarcity of some metals, such as bronze and gold, and the high value attached to them, the Japanese and the Native Americas had to ensure their safety. Consequently, the Adena buried their art objects together with their rulers, where they could lie forever. The Japanese put such items in temples where it would be considered safe because nobody would dare venture into sacred places and defile them. The most notable element of the art forms of both the Japanese and the Native Americas art forms before 1300 was religion. In Japan, the period before 1300 saw the introduction of Buddhism from China. Consequently, they constructed temples in which they placed statues of Buddha, the father of Buddhism. Art also reflected elements of traditional religions in the form of shrines, such as the Shinto shrine (Suarez, 2015). This was an important aspect of the Kofun culture (Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, 2001). Among the Native Americas, the common belief at the time was that their leaders could travel to the other world, communicate with the powers there, and come back with divine messages. They referred to such leaders as shamans. The shamans had the powers to heal the sick, assist hunters and warriors in their endeavors, and manipulate the weather. Religion has always been at the core of human existence since time immemorial. Both the Japanese and the Native Americas may have found meaning in their existence through their religions. In addition, both the Japanese and then Native Americas could have used religion as a unifying factor, enabling them to form cohesive units that were able to protect their heritage and interests. The Japanese built great audience halls, such as the Himeji, a clear indication that a big population of people were living together (Kleiner, 2008). The Native Americas coalesced around two major cultures: the Adena and the Hopewell. Fourth, both the Japanese and the Native Americas before 1300 considered artists as noble and held them in high esteem. Clan rulers also called the Daimyo, constantly commissioned artists to decorate castles in commemoration of their past victories (Kleiner, 2008). This implies that artistes held a position of respect and honor amongst the Japanese. Similarly, the Native Americas held artists in high esteem and respect. Endowing artists with a high position of honor was critical. The preservation of a people’s culture, especially before the 1300 year timeframe, depended almost entirely on artists. This is because technology had not advanced as it is today where information can be immortalized in digital form and stored for future use. Consequently, preserving art presented a major challenge to the Japanese and the Native Americas of the 13th century. Although the art of writing had developed, they did not trust books and other written materials to withstand the test of time. They; therefore, entrusted the artists with the responsibility of carving the people’s culture and history into stone or metal. Differences There are several differences between the features of the art forms. To begin with, there is a difference between Japanese and Native Americas paintings. Whereas Americas paintings gave attention to space and depth, their Japanese counterparts did not. Painters create the illusion of depth and space in their paintings by employing perspective. They achieve this phenomenon by making the objects in the foreground bigger in size than those in the background (Kleiner, 2013). This is evident in Claude Lorrain’s Embarkation of the Queen of Sheba. The boats in the foreground are larger than those farther from it (Kleiner, 2013). In contrast, Japanese art paintings focus more on representing objects than creating depth and space. This is clearly illustrated in Ogata Korin’s Waves at Matsushima. In this painting, Korin is more interested in creating the intriguing shapes of the waves than the aspect of perspective. Secondly, while Japanese art seems to have been influenced by religion from China, the native Americas had little such influence. China exported Buddhism to Japan, impacting on their art forms as well (Hammer, 2015). Statues depicting Buddha began to pop up, especially in temples. Today, such statues still grace Japanese history. The Native Americas, on the other hand, had little influence from beyond its borders. In fact, it influenced its neighbors rather than being influenced. The Hopewell culture, for example, was able to spread through most of the eastern United States of America (Kleiner, 2008). They built massive earthen mounds, which served as sacred areas. Therefore, unlike the Japanese culture, the Native Americas influenced other regions. Third, the art of the native Americas represented a wider range of human activities and types compared to the Japanese. An illustration of this is the ceramic figurine of a Maya ball player (Kleiner, 2008). The figurine depicts a kneeling ball player with a thick leather belt and pads to protect both his arms and knees. The ball must have been a hard one and may have involved hurling towards an opponent; hence, to reduce the risk of injury, players needed protective gear. Japanese art, on the other hand, limited itself to religious figures and past rulers. Nevertheless, Japanese art depicts swords. They may have used swords both for war or for sport. It; however, was unlikely to use swords for sport since that would have been a dangerous game. But sword sports cannot be ruled out altogether since the Japanese are also known for sparring, a game played with swords. This also implies that the Americas could have lived in relative peace compared to their Japanese counterparts. The Japanese had to fight many wars in order to establish themselves as an entity. The native Americas, on the other hand, had time to settle down and engage in sports. Conclusion There are several similarities and differences between the basic art forms of the Japanese and the Americas before 1300. The most notable similarity in the basic art forms of the two regions is the prevalence of gigantic stone and metal structures. They exist as the Colossal Heads in the Americas and the hug bronze statue of Buddha in the Japanese culture. It is clear; therefore, that stone and bronze were available for such use. However, the Japanese and their Americas counterparts could have obtained them through trade with their neighbors. This is also an indication that the development of art during this period was shaped by the availability of resources. The aspect of religion also connects the art forms of the two regions. The Japanese had Buddha while the Americas believed in the powers of the shamans. On the other hand, a few differences prevail. These include the presentation of depth and perspective in their paintings and the influence of external world. Whereas China influenced the Japanese into adopting Buddhism, the Americas were themselves initiators of change to their neighbors. Consequently, their art forms spread into many other parts of America. It is; therefore, true to conclude that availability of resources and religion shaped the basic features of the art forms of both the Japanese and the Americas before 1300. References Hammer, E. (2015) Buddhism in Japan. Asia Society. Retrieved from http://www.asiasociety.org/buddhism-japan Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History (2001, October). Japan, 500–1000 A.D. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved from http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/?period=06®ion=eaj. Kleiner, F. S. (2008) Gardner’s Art through the Ages: Non-Western Perspectives (13th ed.). Boston: Cengage Learning. Kleiner, F. S. (2013) Gardner’s Art through the Ages: A Global History (14th ed.). Boston: Clerk Baxtor. Suarez, A. C. (2015) Art of the Americas Before 1300 at Creative Commons. Art History Teaching Resources. Retrieved from http://arthistoryteachingresources.org/lessons/art-of-the-americas-before-1300 http://arthistoryteachingresources.org/lessons/art-of-the-americas-before-1300/. Read More