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Matthew Gomez
Mrs. Mendoza
A.P. Art History
7 March 2013
Japans Introduction to Western Ideals
Today, Japan, although it is a small island off the coast of China, it is one of the worlds
leading economic forces. Japan is one of few nations that steers the world economy based around
their technological growth and application. For many centuries Japan isolated itself from most of
what is considered the western world, and not until 1852 did Japan have written trade agreements
with the United States of America. The Meiji period marked the shift from that of conservative,
isolationist policies, to that of a more western and industrial Japan, but most of the leniencies
toward western ideals actually derive from the prior period, the Edo Period. During this 255 year
time frame of the Edo period there was much economic growth, practice of strict social orders
and isolationist foreign policies, and an increase in both environmental protection and expansion
of the arts and culture itself. The art of the Edo period directly parallels these different qualities
of the period itself; the naturalist style present in early Edo art reflects the increase in
environmental protection, the practice of strict social orders and isolationist policies hiked a raise
in nationalism urging artists to depict the natural beauty found in Japan, and the economic
growth permitted the expansion of art with new technologies such as the woodblock print
making art more readily available. Ogata Korins White Plum Blossoms (Fig. 27-11), Maruyama
Okyos Peacocks and Peonies (fig. 27-13), and Katsushika Hokusais The Great Wave Off
Kanagawa (Fig. 27-15) not only embody the Edo period, but also help to chronologically date
different shifts during this period, leading to Japan becoming a westernized nation.
The naturalist style present in early Edo art reflects the increase in environmental
protection; Ogata Korins White Plum Blossoms (Fig. 27-11) is a specific artwork of the Edo
period that includes naturalist techniques to parallel the Japanese appreciation and protection of

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nature. Korin was a student of the Rimpa School where he was taught to see the beauty in nature
itself and present it in the many art forms he practiced. In White Plum Blossoms (Fig. 27-11),
Korin depicts a lone white plum tree by a river, blossoming in its particular season next to a river
in motion. He uses ink, color, and gold and silver leaf on paper to create this scene of beautiful
nature. With the deep black ink, Korin can create an austere fluid river, and also create the dark
bark on the trunk and branches of the white plum tree. By using the same medium to depict two
different aspects of nature reveals the Edo periods beliefs in the harmonization of nature itself.
In their eyes nature all worked together and was balanced; it was their job to protect nature,
directly echoed by the art of the time. Korins depiction of trees blossoming and water symbolize
rebirth and change, which was soon to come during the Edo Period. The Rimpa School student
often depicted motifs of rebirth which foreshadow the slow acceptance of western ideas that
would come with the new ukiyo-e art style.
The practice of strict social orders and isolationist policies hiked a raise in nationalism
urging artists to depict the natural beauty found in Japan; Maruyama Okyos Peacocks and
Peonies (fig. 27-13) is a specific artwork of the Edo period that depicts the natural beauty found
in Japan with bright and vibrant colors on hanging scroll silk. These bright and vibrant colors on
the feathers of the peacock and the petals of the peonies reveal the beauty in nature Okyo would
have seen in Japan. Due to the isolationist policies, very few Japanese actually left the island; in
turn, unlike many western artists, Japanese artists had to study what was around them. The
untainted countryside of Japan was full of life and beauty, which was represented in Okyos
painting. Okyo chose silk as his medium to echo the beauty of the subject, as well as the beauty
of all nature. Okyos style in the painting synthesized that of Chinese techniques as well as the
Japanese; by doing this it shows an effort in the culture to reach out beyond their own ideals,

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again shifting towards westernization. This resurgence of nationalism was a last ditch effort in
maintaining isolationist policies, until Japan would step onto the world stage.
The economic growth permitted the expansion of art with new technologies; one example
would be the use of the woodblock print of Katsushika Hokusais The Great Wave Off
Kanagawa (Fig. 27-15). By using the woodblock print technique the artist was able to make
innumerous copies of their work at a fast pace; theses copies were also very inexpensive
allowing art to be more readily available to the people. The artisans and merchants of the Edo
period took advantage of this new found technology to put a spike in the economy by selling
much more art. This not only helped the economy, but it also took much of the power out of the
shoguns hands and gave some back to the common people, a western ideal. What makes
Katsushika Hokusais The Great Wave Off Kanagawa (Fig. 27-15) so special is that it belong to a
woodblock series called Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji, which incorporated many western
techniques such as the subject, foreground, and background. By incorporating these western
techniques in the art work, and with the art being more readily available to the people, the people
began to see a new light to the world, accepting these western ideals. Again the motif of what
shows up to remind the people of a need for rebirth and change, which would soon come.
Hokusai showed the people things they had never seen before, which sparked thoughts of
revolution in many minds, which would lead to the westernization of Japan.
All in all, the Edo Period was a time of much change. The art of this period shifted to fit
the newest ideals accepted in their society, and would also push to accept new as well.