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A Glimpse at the Art of Japan
Book by Jarves, James Jackson
216 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1984
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May 29, 2020
This was a book that I didn't even know existed. It was only when I found it in a secondhand bookstore that I picked it up at all. Written back in the latter half of the 19th century, this book serves as an introduction to Japanese art for Westerners. As a former student of Art History major myself, it's interesting to read the content of this exemplar, as it is very uniquely written to what we are now used to in terms of academic writing.
First thing I found fascinating about this book is the language it uses. Of course, the 19th century was two centuries ago, therefore it's no surprise that people talked differently then. The language they used may not be acceptable or politically correct today, so it needs a bit of context for today's readers to understand that it used to be considered normal and entirely harmless back in the day. Words such as "heathen" and "savage" were used in a pretty nonchalant way, meaning not to offend anyone, but rather as simple classification of a people. It's also interesting to note the subjectivity in describing and admiring the artwork mentioned—the endless comparison to the lesser European art and surprise in finding such fine work in a "lesser" culture are pretty hilarious, in my opinion. Obviously, such approach wouldn't fly today. It would even be considered un-academic. Almost absurd that such a practice used to be very much acceptable.
The second thing that seems very fascinating for me is the elaborate description of each artwork, due to the lack of photographs included in the book—for the fact that camera has yet to be invented. It allows me to imagine and picture what the artwork actually looks like, but also pretty taxing as sometimes it's hard to do. Of course, art history books today are already well equipped with photographs for us to ponder on the details and whatever else there is. Maybe this is also why there aren't too many works being discussed—the book explores more of the culture and religious factors of the country. Then again, it did promise only a "glimpse."
Lastly, I wouldn't really recommend this book for anyone who actually wants to learn about Japanese art—as so many of the facts presented have been subject to change—but I would recommend it to people who want to learn about history, particularly in regards to the Eastern-Western relation in the 19th century. It truly is fascinating.
First thing I found fascinating about this book is the language it uses. Of course, the 19th century was two centuries ago, therefore it's no surprise that people talked differently then. The language they used may not be acceptable or politically correct today, so it needs a bit of context for today's readers to understand that it used to be considered normal and entirely harmless back in the day. Words such as "heathen" and "savage" were used in a pretty nonchalant way, meaning not to offend anyone, but rather as simple classification of a people. It's also interesting to note the subjectivity in describing and admiring the artwork mentioned—the endless comparison to the lesser European art and surprise in finding such fine work in a "lesser" culture are pretty hilarious, in my opinion. Obviously, such approach wouldn't fly today. It would even be considered un-academic. Almost absurd that such a practice used to be very much acceptable.
The second thing that seems very fascinating for me is the elaborate description of each artwork, due to the lack of photographs included in the book—for the fact that camera has yet to be invented. It allows me to imagine and picture what the artwork actually looks like, but also pretty taxing as sometimes it's hard to do. Of course, art history books today are already well equipped with photographs for us to ponder on the details and whatever else there is. Maybe this is also why there aren't too many works being discussed—the book explores more of the culture and religious factors of the country. Then again, it did promise only a "glimpse."
Lastly, I wouldn't really recommend this book for anyone who actually wants to learn about Japanese art—as so many of the facts presented have been subject to change—but I would recommend it to people who want to learn about history, particularly in regards to the Eastern-Western relation in the 19th century. It truly is fascinating.
Displaying 1 of 1 review