Supervisors info:
Δημήτρης Παυλόπουλος, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής Ιστορίας της Τέχνης, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών
Ευθυμία Μαυρομιχάλη, Επίκουρη Καθηγήτρια Ιστορίας της Τέχνης, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών
Μαρία Παπαθανασίου, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια Νεότερης Ευρωπαϊκής Ιστορίας, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών
Summary:
Japan and its culture in general is an exotic place for Westerners. The basic and characteristic way of expressing the perceptions and philosophy of this mysterious world was the Japanese art, which demonstrated significant artistic achievements. Among them was the emergence of "images of the floating world", which were characterized by the term "ukiyo-e" (浮世絵).
Ukiyo-e was the result of everyday life and issues, which occupied the rising middle class of the Japanese of the Edo period (17th-19th century), highlighting as protagonists the theatre, as well as the courtesans of Yoshiwara, the so-called Delights District, which was headquartered in Edo, the current Tokyo.
Thanks to the courtesans of Yoshiwara an entire business was erected, which promoted through the artworks of famous artists, such as Hishikawa Moronobu (1618-1694), Suzuki Harunobu (1725-1770), Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1806) etc., women prostitutes, but also high-ranking geisha (芸者) and oiran (花魁), delights houses, tea shops and clothing fashion. The images of beautiful women, characterized by Europeans as the "Aphrodites of the Streets" which are today known by the term "bijin-ga" (美人画), presented an idealized and utopian situation, which differed radically from the impoverished life of the real courtesans, who lived surrounded by the walls of Yoshiwara as prisoners.
After the middle of the 19th century, when the decline of the bijin-ga in Japan was now noticeable, in another place, namely in France, the ukiyo-e with the views of Mount Fuji of Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), the landscapes of Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858), as well as the artworks depicting the beautiful Japanese women courtesans, received widespread recognition and acceptance.
The dissemination of Japanese artworks influenced Europeans, especially the French, not only in the artistic sector, but in their lifestyle as well. The adoption of Japanese habits with memorable speed and the introduction of characteristic objects of the Far East in their daily lives, as were the kimono and the fans, led to a kind of mania, which is known by the term "japonisme".
In this way, however, and with the help of the ukiyo-e and especially of the bijin-ga, a commercial "industry" is created for a second time, now in the area of Europe, which finds in japonisme the impetus for its artistic rejuvenation.
Protagonists in the adoption of elements from Japanese art, not with sterile mimetism but with a creative look, could not be other than the impressionist painters. As for the images of the beautiful women of Japan, those who were most affected and customized them on the basis of their own perspective and personal criteria, were Édouard Manet (1832-1883), Claude Monet (1840-1926), Edgar Degas (1834-1917) and Mary Cassatt (1844-1926).
In any case, the "Aphrodites of the Streets" influenced the artistic events in Japan, for about two centuries, as well as in France, thus, connecting, the East with the West. Around their face, myths and stories were created, while subjects for discussion were raised, such as beauty, fashion, social and commercial exploitation and prostitution.
Keywords:
ukiyo-e, bijin-ga, courtesans, Japan, Aphrodites, japonisme, impressionism, France
