Japanese Art
The oldest known Japanese sculptures are Haniva burial figurines (around 4th-7th century). Buddhism, which had a decisive influence on later Japanese art, was spread in the country during the 6th century. In Nara period and at the beginning of Heian period (7th -9th century), Chinese influence was decisive. In Fujiwara period (9th -12thcentury) in painting cara-e, Chinese-origin was added the minor, but with even more vibrant colors, Japanese style (Yamato-e) and the Japanese carving mixed-technique known as joseki-tsukuri. In 1192, the administrative capital was moved to Kamakura, 480 km north of Kyoto. Zen Buddhism influenced, since then, increasingly the arts, mostly by the form of monochrome painting with pen Sumy-e, which largely had its origin in Chinese style of Ben-zen. The restrained style of Muromaki period was substituted in Momoyama period (late 16th century) from bright colors often decorated with gold leaves (Chiricane). The courtier art of Tokugawa period (1616-1868), formed by Canoë School was less nervous than the prints of popular consumption. The landscapes and the narrative scenes of Japanese art are usually painted on rooms’ partitions or on paper rolls hanging on the wall (kakemono) or on rolls destined to unfold as the narrative progresses (makimono).