Japanese art: The Fujiwara Period

The Fujiwara period (898–1185) is marked by the crystallization of the Yamato-e tradition of painting (based on national rather than on Chinese taste). Kanaoka (late 9th cent.) was the first major native painter. The famous illustrated scroll of the Tale of the Genji—written in the early llth cent. by Lady Murasaki—with its rich color and subtracted treatment of the features of men and women reflects the extreme sensitivity and refinement of the court during that period. The same delicacy of taste can be seen in the sculpture of Jocho (11th cent.).

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Recent Japanese Art
• The Edo Period to the Twentieth Century
• The Momoyama Period
• The Muromachi Period
• The Kamakura Period
• The Fujiwara Period
• The Nara Period
• Buddhist and Chinese Influences
• Early Works
• Bibliography

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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