There are many forms of Japanese art, from calligraphy to bonsai to woodblock printing to ikebana.
I regard kimono as works of art and I have enjoyed collecting and displaying the pieces you see above. Japanese textiles are among the most beautiful in my opinion. The kimono is the traditional garment of Japan. Today, they are primarily worn by women on special occasions or by geisha. Yukata are casual cotton kimono that are commonly worn in the summer during festivals.
The season often dictates the pattern of a kimono. For example, patterns with cherry blossoms would be worn in the spring and patterns with maple leaves would be worn in the fall. Younger, unmarried women wear kimono with long sleeves that are often brightly colored while older women don shorter sleeves that are modest in color. Today, men wear simple kimono that are in darker hues, such as blacks, dark blues, and browns.
Silk screen paintings and wood block prints have also fascinated me since I was a child. I remember looking at books of traditional woodblock prints and adoring their beautiful simplicity. The vibrant colors, flat surfaces, and geometric patterns all appeal to me. My favorites are the scenes in nature or of landscapes. I am sure that most of you would recognize the Hokusai wave or the image of Mount Fuji, which are among the most popular of woodblock prints.
To me, the allure of the traditional Japanese arts is their connection to nature. They love to use straight lines and defined outlines in their work, but are not afraid to make something off center or asymmetrical because that is how it is often found in nature.
Come back tomorrow for a post about Japanese food! Yum!
I regard kimono as works of art and I have enjoyed collecting and displaying the pieces you see above. Japanese textiles are among the most beautiful in my opinion. The kimono is the traditional garment of Japan. Today, they are primarily worn by women on special occasions or by geisha. Yukata are casual cotton kimono that are commonly worn in the summer during festivals.
The season often dictates the pattern of a kimono. For example, patterns with cherry blossoms would be worn in the spring and patterns with maple leaves would be worn in the fall. Younger, unmarried women wear kimono with long sleeves that are often brightly colored while older women don shorter sleeves that are modest in color. Today, men wear simple kimono that are in darker hues, such as blacks, dark blues, and browns.
Silk screen paintings and wood block prints have also fascinated me since I was a child. I remember looking at books of traditional woodblock prints and adoring their beautiful simplicity. The vibrant colors, flat surfaces, and geometric patterns all appeal to me. My favorites are the scenes in nature or of landscapes. I am sure that most of you would recognize the Hokusai wave or the image of Mount Fuji, which are among the most popular of woodblock prints.
To me, the allure of the traditional Japanese arts is their connection to nature. They love to use straight lines and defined outlines in their work, but are not afraid to make something off center or asymmetrical because that is how it is often found in nature.
Come back tomorrow for a post about Japanese food! Yum!
You know I never saw any geisha when I visited the Gion district in Kyoto? I even walked through the historic backstreets where they often can be seen and there were none there! It would have been neat to see some, but oh well.
ReplyDeleteThe art of Japan has always been a wonderful thing to me. It's what influences practically all of my drawings, as you know, haha. I've always thought kimono are such beautiful forms of clothing. I like how the pattern is dictated by the seasons. In fact, it seems to me that a lot of Japanese art draws heavy influence from the changing seasons - you can find it in practically everything. I think that makes for some great themes.