International studio (45.1912)

Old Japanese Folding Screens

A striving after directness
and simplicity, but never at
the expense of profundity of
ideas, was a characteristic of
the art of the Ashikaga period
(a.d. 1338-1573). It was at
this time that the spirit of the
Zen sect permeated the minds
of the people, the Afit dance
and tea ceremony came into
vogue, economy of expression
and freedom of intellect were
attained, encouraging the
artists to try to suggest the
inexpressible. For these
reasons, ink was preferred to
colours, and pure line pre-
ferred to shading in painting.
It was in the later part of this
period that the Kano school
flourished.
But the love of gorgeous
decoration was revived in the


Momoyama period (a.d.
1583-1603) as shown by the

TWO-PANEL SCREEN

PAINTED BY TAWARAYA SOTATSU


free use made of gold and silver in the paintings
executed at that time by such artists as Yeitoku and
Sanraku, both of whom were famous as painters of
screens, especially the former.

TWO-PANEL SCREEN : “ PLUM-TREE.” PAINTED BY
( Owned by Count Tsugaru )

The peaceful period of Tokugawa (a.d. 1603-
1868) lost in painting the spirit and vigour of the
preceding era, and inclined towards directness of
expression ; brilliant colours were usually avoided
and lightness of touch culti-
vated, as shown by some of
the Kano school of painters,
and later by those of the
Maruyama, Shijo and southern
schools. Some of the famous
screens of this period arp
painted in the Ukiyo-e style,
showing the manners and
customs of the people, and in
the highly decorative style of
the Korin school.
There are a great number
of byobu that have become
famous either because of their
historical significance, or be-
cause of the wonderful works
of art they have on them, for
here, speaking generally, the
artist had free scope for the
display of all his abilities.
Some of the byobu in the
Shoso-in Repository are of
great value. For example,
take the famous one known
119

OGATA KORIN (1658—1716)