Shimomura+Kanzan

Title: The Beggar Monk Artist: Shimomura Kanzan Date: 1915 Period:Taisho Period Country of Origin: Cultural/Ethnic Affiliation: Medium: Dimension: Unknown Museum/Collection: Tokyo National Museum Current Location and Manner of Display: Provenance:
 * Artwork Identification**

Shimomura Kanzan was born April 1873 in Wakayama Japan into a family of hereditary Noh actors. After moving to Tokyo at the age of 8 he became one of the first students at the Tokyo fine arts school (Tokyo Bijutsu Gakko). He began teaching at the school shortly after graduating in 1894. He was one of the founders of the Japan Fine Arts Academy, but returned to teaching at the Tokyo fine art school in 1901 after the collapse of the Japan Fine Arts Academy, just two years after it was founded. In 1914 He helped re-establish the Japan Fine Arts Academy and in 1917 was appointed a court painter to the Imperial Household Agency. He was influenced during his career by many earlier styles of Japanese art. He preferred to portray tales and replicate history in his paintings, portraying images with appropriate and correct detail. He was known for his mastery of traditional Japanese and Chinese painting and contributed to the modernization of traditional Japanese painting.
 * Introduction**

This artwork is a Byobu, a Japanese folding screen made from several joined panels with decorative paintings, very popular during the Edo period. This is a 6-panel screen and is one of a pair. The medium is Ink, color, gold leaf on paper and is no different than what was used during the 17th century. This is a very simplistic screen; the basic tree and man create a very simple ambience. This is a very graphic type image, but with hints of realism, shadows and depth. The tree is represented with such natural elements and the man depicted with no natural elements. The man is very flat with no shadows, or modeling of any sort. The subject matter is that of a traditional Japanese scene, nature and man. The gold background, which became popular during the Edo period, is also very reminiscent of traditional Japanese screens. There is calmness and serenity depicted in this scene, a sense of joy even though his eyes are closed. It is as he is taking in the smell of the flowers that surround him.
 * Descriptive Analysis**

This screen depicts a scene from a famous Noh play of the same name “Yoroboshi.” The scene depicted here is a blind monk who has been falsely accused of a crime, “disowned by his family he wanders about living as a vagrant, although he is now blind, he has become one with the universe.”
 * Formal Analysis**

The interest in precise details illustrates the traditional style of the Kano school of painting from the early 17th century. The composition, style and the element of gold leaf were all drawn from this school. Noh characters or scenes from the theater were common for artists to depict as well as nature. This piece shows the influence that the past periods had on Kanzan from the style and composition to the gold leaf background. There was a strong sense of nationalism during the Meiji period and carried into the Taisho period, schools during this period encouraged Japanese style painting. The Japanese Fine Art Academy was formed once again in an effort to keep the western influence out of Japanese painting, and as Kanzan was one of the founders of this school you can see his dedication in replicating traditional Japanese styles.
 * Contextual Analysis**

The Old Plum, Kano Sansetsu, Edo Period, ca. 1645 Four sliding door panels; ink, color, gold leaf on paper.

Pheasants under Cherry and Willow Trees and Irises and Mist, Kano Ryokei, Pair of six-panel folding screens; Ink, color, gold leaf on paper. 17th Century Edo Period.


 * Bibliography**

Lee Sherman E, Reflections of Reality in Japanese Art (Cleveland Museum of Art, 1983), 209-212.
 * Printed Sources**


 * Online Sources**

Brandon, James R. “Arts, East Asian.” Oct 30, 2008, http://www.britannica.com/oscar/print?articleid=109412&fullArticle=true&tocid=74396

Department of Asian Art. "The Kano School of Painting". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/kano/hd_kano.htm (October 2003)

Shimomura Kanzan. (2008). In Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved Oct. 30, 2008, from Encyclopedia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/540677/Shimomura-Kanzan

Tokyo Museum of Art, “The TNM Collection,” Scene from Noh play “Yoroboshi”. http://www.tnm.go.jp/en/servlet/Con?processId=00&ref=2&Q1=&Q2=&Q3=&Q4=115_____41___&Q5=&F1=&F2=&pageId=E15&colid=A10508


 * Image Sources**

"Attributed to Kano Sansetsu: The Old Plum (1975.268.48)". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/kano/ho_1975.268.48.htm (October 2006)

Ryokei, Kano (2005). Painting: Pheasants under Cherry and Willow Trees and Irises and Mist http://www.askasia.org/teachers/images/image.php?no=690


 * Title:** Japanese Byobus and the artwork of Shimomura Kanzan


 * Grade Level:** middle school (grade 7-8)


 * Time:** 1 week

This lesson meets the following National Standards for Arts Education: VA.5-8.1 Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes. (Proficient 1) VA.5-8.2 Using knowledge of structures and functions.(Proficient 2,3) VA.5-8.3 Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols and ideas.(Proficient 1) VA.5-8.4 Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures.(Proficient 1,2) VA.5-8.5 Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others.(Proficient 2)
 * Standards:**

This lesson meets the following National Educational Technology Standards for students: 1. Creativity and Innovation (a, b & c) 4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making (a c) 5. Digital Citizenship (a, b, c & d) 6. Technology Operations and Concepts (a, b, & c)


 * Significant Key Concepts:**

Byobus: Japanese folding screens, made from several joined panels with decorative paintingswith an emphasis on the technique used called gold leafing. It was very popular during the Edo period, and is used to separate interiors and enclose private spaces. Nationalism and Japanese Art: Shimomura Kanzan’s impact on Japanese art of the early 20th century. Japanese Fine Art Academy and the traditional style of the Kano school. It is said that the Kano School of Painting was one of the most influential schools of painting in Japanese history. Noh play: “Yoroboshi” : A frequently depicted subject on byobus.


 * Teaching and Learning Activities:**
 * Activity I.** Students will be searching for websites on the computers in the library (or classroom if available) to add to their class social bookmarking site, http://delicious.com/. This will be used specifically for finding images and information on Byobus, though if the students find any other useful information on Shimomura Kanzan or the art of this time period, encourage them to bookmark these sites as well. This will follow with a class discussion on not only purpose of these screens, but also, most importantly, the images on the Japanese folding screens.

Students will be instructed to bookmark pages as they find important for any of these three reasons: the website has quality images of Byobus or it has quality information on what a Byobu’s function and purpose is or it has the history of a Byobu. There are specific tags that need to be used for each type of Byobu site. First, the class will need a unique name to use for a tag, for example, my class’ tag will be msstepnickbyodu. This is helpful when finding all sites from a specific class. In addition, depending on the site, it will have a other tag regarding the subject of the website. For example, function will be the tag for any website that talks about the function of these. History should be used for websites that include the history, etc.

One thing to discuss with this is the authenticity of the Byobus. Are these reproductions or are these actual, original Byobus? Before the students start searching, discuss how one might be able to decipher between the two. Try to stay away from websites that are selling large numbers of these. Rather, look for museum or gallery websites. It’s also nice to see photographs of these from photo sharing websites such as flickr.com.

While students are searching, they should be gathering information to use in a later discussion. Have them make notes in the notes section of delicious.com when saving a link and/or have them write down their thoughts on a piece of paper as they go. Ask them to examine what they’re looking at. What types of images are on the Byobus. What colors, what types of composition? Are there any similarities or differences? These notes will be part of the grade for this assignment.

Once the students have found at least ten websites (or more if they’d like), they will be asked to do a search of the class tags that were talked about earlier. This will allow them to see what other students have found. Are there any different websites that others found? If there isn’t time to do this in class, this will be assigned for homework. The teacher will take a look at the found websites sometime before the next class and will choose about 6-10 to discuss in class the next day.


 * Activity II:** Students will be learning about the techniques used on traditional Japanese Byobus, especially gold leafing. This activity can be done the same day following the discussion of the findings of Byobus. Because gold leafing is really touchy and challenging to work with, for this level, the students will use gold tissue paper. Student will be able to experience the gold leafing technique with the use of gold tissue paper.

Because it’s always good to have a tactile example in the classroom, it is ideal for the teacher to obtain a sample of gold leaf to show the students. In addition, to show gold leafing (also known as gliding) in action, there are several videos on youtube.com that the students will watch in class. The videos will be projected on the screen for the class to watch as a group. In addition to the following videos, it’s important to check for new ones when planning to do this lesson. These were all retrieved from www.youtube.com on November 20, 2008: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rF9jyLeoyk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIfZfXWw4sw This video might also be helpful. It has a lot of good information, but isn’t a high quality video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaAzIXzQhVM&feature=related

Use discretion while looking for and using YouTube videos in the classroom. After using YouTube videos as an introduction to the gold leafing there will be a short discussion about this process. The teacher will begin by asking the students what they noticed in all of these videos and the discussion should continue from there. The teacher should also make a list on the board to reiterate main ideas of the gold-leafing videos.


 * Activity III:** Learning about Noh plays. This can also be done on the same day as the other discussions from Activity I and the discussion of Activity II. The students will be shown a video introducing Noh plays on the Japanese Online Government TV website. As the students watch these videos, have them write down things they think are important. The students should also be looking at the images in this Noh play. They can focus on, for example, the patterns of the costumes or the masks used. The students will be sketching out images of what interests them from this video. These images are going to be incorporated into their final “gold leaf” composition like those of Shimomura Kanzan in Activity IV. The students will be sharing their sketches with the people next to them. During this time, there should be sharing of sketches along with why those images caught their attention from the video. Also, how could these images be used in a traditional type of Byobu?

If, after class, any of the students aren’t confident with their in-class ideas and would like to do additional research on Noh plays, they should be encouraged to post their research findings on the classes pbwiki (for example, stepnick.pbwiki.com). In order to find out more information, sign up and/and use this tool, please visit pbwiki.com.


 * Activity IV:** Students will be taking what they’ve learned and designing mini panels for a hypothetical Japanese folding screen based on the scenes in the Noh play. They will use their ideas that they have come up with in class to create their image. After the teacher discusses one-on-one with each student, the students will take a piece of white paper that is about 36” long (though this can vary). It will eventually be divided into 5 panels when it’s finished.

Each student will also need while glue and gold tissue paper. The glue will be slightly thinned out with a little bit of water in a dish along with a paintbrush for each person. The students will apply the gold tissue paper to the white paper as if it were gold leafing, first applying the glue with a paintbrush and then applying the gold tissue paper on top. This will need to dry thoroughly before the next step. At this point, the student should gather other needed supplies. This is up to each individual student. They will use their knowledge and determine what medium or materials they’d like to use for the image. If, by time the other supplies are gathered, the glue isn’t dried, there should be at least one hair dryer out for faster drying.

This activity should take about two class periods. At the end of the second class period, the students will measure and divide their paper into 5 equal sections. They need to draw a line where it should be cut, and the teacher will do that on the cutting board (either during or after class). With the time that is left, the students will each write an artist statement about their design and how their work reflects the Japanese nationalism in the early 20th century. Why did they chose what they did? What was the process? What materials did they use? After this, the students will discuss each others Byobus. Depending on time, the students will either discuss in small groups or share with the entire class. Each student’s Byobu will be displayed as a series, one right next to the next.

Activity I (17 points total) For full points, students must find and bookmark 10 websites on the designated topic, quality websites (.5 points each). Also, the students must take notes and put them in the bookmarking box or write them down for each website (1 point for each). Lastly, students will participate in the discussion. (2 points).
 * Assessment Criteria:**

Possible points Points Earned Bookmarks 5 Notes 10 Discussion 2 Total Points /17

Activity III (10 points possible) For full points, students must take notes on the video, including the following five components. First, what’s most important in this video and what do you notice? What images or patterns do you see that you can potentially use in your gold leaf composition? The student must sketch out ideas in their notebook. They also must share with the people around them in a small group and talk about and help each other think of ideas for the final composition. By the end of class, they should have a few solid ideas of what their composition might entail. Sketches are required.

0- nothing/unsatisfactory 2 - satisfactory 4 - excellent Video Notes Video Images Sketches of images Small group discussion Final ideas/sketches Total Points /20

Activity IV (16 points possible): For full points, students must use their ideas and sketches to come up with a final image. Students must use the gold tissue paper on the entire paper. Over top, there should be an image that was inspired by the Noh play YouTube video from class (or from other outside research). Also, there must be a written artist statement about their piece.

0- nothing/unsatisfactory 2 - satisfactory 4 - excellent Sketch of Final Image “Gold Leafing” Final Image Written artist statement Total Points /16

Department of Asian Art. "The Kano School of Painting". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/kano/hd_kano.htm (October 2003)

Japan+ Short Videos: Japanese Government Internet TV. “An Invitation to Noh” http://nettv.gov-online.go.jp/eng/prg/prg1041.html