Combining Art and Fashion:

Influence of Painting and Textiles During the Edo Period

Elizabeth Dwinnell

Introduction

During the Edo period in Japan, Japanese textile designs began to evolve creating a more artistic approach to clothing and costume. (Generally, when most people in the West think of traditional Japanese costumes, they are thinking of the clothing that were created during this time period) At this time in Japanese history, there was no clear division between art and craft. For example, within the societal ranking system artist were defined as craftsmen, which placed them as third in the hierarchical ranking order. As a result, very artistic and delicately painted textiles were created, and fashion became the new art form. For the purpose of this essay, I will describe three different examples of how painting and traditional costume were connected during the Edo period. Each of these examples will describe a different way that painting is reflected within the textile. One is associated with the schools of painting, the second comes out of landscape painting, and the third places traditional mediums within the paintings on the textiles.

Figure 1

Uchikake with Bamboo and Mist,

Early Eighteenth Century,

Attributed to Gion Nankai (1677-1751)

Schools of Painting

The first example (fig. 1) is an Uchikake with Bamboo and Mist. As stated within the catalog description this Uchikake is decorated with a bamboo design, which was attributed to Gion Nankai. Gion Nankai was a literati painter and developed the Nanga School of painting. This specific school was in reference to the Southern School of painting in China and was based upon the literati style of painting, which often used bamboo as subject matter. Gion Nankai created multiple works throughout his career depicting bamboo; however, this particular work is very different from his others. The brush is much more visible each stroke is calligraphic in design. It was, previously to this time period, unlikely for a school to create a painting upon a textile; however, it is believed that Gion Nankai painted this work. He was commissioned by a wealthy merchant to create a gift for his favorite courtesan as documented in a historical poem.

The Uchikake with Bamboo and Mist is an extremely beautiful work of art. The overall work evokes a great deal of emotion and feeling. It leaves the viewer in a world between reality and fantasy. The bamboo is very realistic and the viewer can look at it as if they are truly standing before a field of bamboo; however, the golden mist provides a mystical feeling. It is placed over the bamboo forcing the viewer to question which world they are really in. The work is masterful in its composition and juxtaposition between reality and fantasy. This is also further emphasized by the fact that the Uchikake was worn within the real world; however, the painting leads us to a more mystical realm.

Figure 2

Kosode with Eight Views of Omi,

Mid-eighteenth Century

Landscapes and Famous Locations

Common in traditional Japanese painting are the depictions of landscapes and the documentation of famous locations or events. This can also be seen within the fashion decoration during the Edo Period. During this time period, Japan became much more involved with trade and tourism, and they became much more reliant upon the sea for commerce and movement. As a result depictions of cities and the sea became very common as subject matter for much of the art created during this time. The depiction of the busy life in Japan during this time moved beyond traditional medium and into decorative textiles as well.

In Kosode with Eight Views of Omi (fig. 2), the artist depicts a very specific location by incorporating traditional Chinese landscape features, but including Japanese elements as well, which was very common during this period in time. (A Kosode is a traditional over garment worn by the merchant class) Unlike traditional Chinese landscape often viewed from afar, this particular painting is more close-up and the viewer is looking at the scene from above rather than from below the scene, as it would be in Chinese landscapes. The painting depicts a specific location, Lake Biwa, near the Kyoto and Osaka regions.

Overall, the Kosode represents a blend between fashion and traditional painting by placing it on a traditional item of clothing. The subject of the landscape and city was very common at this time, and it creates a new art within fashion.

Figure 3

Katabria with Folding Screens,

Plants, and Chinese Fans

Late Eighteenth Century – Early Nineteenth Century

Incorporating Traditional Medium

Another interesting development within the fashion and painting world occurred when traditional mediums became subjects within the textiles. Folding screens were for many years very important to the painting tradition. Screens, as well as scrolls, were commonly used as medium for many painted works of art. However, when fashion became an art form, the screens became a part of the paintings.

The Katabria with Folding Screens, Plants, and Chinese Fans (fig. 3) is a stunning example detailing this change. (A Katabria is a summer Kosode generally made of silk) Painted on the Katabria are multiple folding screens placed within a garden scene. There are many delicate flowers and tall grasses growing around each of the screens. Within the textile, a beautiful scene is created, one that provides the viewer with a personal and calming feeling. The screens provide privacy for the viewer and the subjects within the painting, which are not clearly depicted, but their presence is felt through presence of the fans.

Conclusion

By understanding what Japanese painting traditions are, we are able to see how they influenced and shaped fashion during the Edo period. Each of the textiles described within this essay have contained a certain element that was common within traditional painting. Each of these works moved beyond tradition and created an entirely new form for art. Instead of only viewing art in specific settings, art was moved out into the daily life. As a result, a new evolution of traditional Japanese painting was occurred, and art was forever changed.

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Bibliography

Gluckman, Dale Carolyn and Sharon Sadako Takeda. When Art Became Fashion: Kosode in Edo-Period Japan. New York and Los Angeles: Weatherhill, Inc. and Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1992.

Mason, Penelope. History of Japanese Art. New Jersey: Pearson Education, 1993.

Watson, William. “Textile Decoration in the Edo Period and Its Further Implication.” Modern Asian Studies, vol. 18, No. 4, Special Issue: Edo Culture and Its Modern Legacy, (1984), 657-666.