No Classroom Change

The class will continue to meet in the library classroom.

January 26

We continued to cover some basic ideas about art. While it's an oversimplification to speak of "Western" and "Eastern" views on art, just to get started, we looked at Julian Bell's discussion of the development of painting in Europe, and began to look at Jonathan Chaves's introduction to his book The Chinese Painter as Poet to bring some terms and ideas up for discussion.

Some highlights of Bell's discussion:

Judaic and Platonic views reject images. The Judaic (Biblical) view sees them as potentially leading to idolatry; the Platonic view sees them as copies of copies, much inferior to the Ideal.

Aristotle accepts them, because they offer a means to understand the world better.

In the eighteenth century there was a shift away from painting as imitation of nature, towards creativity and the expression of emotion. Artists were not copyists, but vehicles for the principle of the creative force of nature.

About Chinese painting:

We didn't get very far with this, but some things that did come up were:

Poetry had more prestige than painting in the early periods of Chinese history; knowlege of poetry, together with history and writing about ethics were essential to education and to passing the exams that led to careers in the government bureaucracy.

The link between poetry and painting was especially strong in the work of the literati (Chinese: wenren, Japanese, bunjin) who regarded the arts of the brush as expressions of a cultivated self.

We also talked about the importance of two philosophical systems:

Confucianism (a highly pragmatic way of thinking primarily concerned with propriety, morality, human relationships)
Daoism ([Taoism] a more mystical and intuitive set of ideas, concerned with living in accord with the Way of nature)

Both systems encouraged the cultivation of the self. In broadest terms, while Confucianism emphasized self-discipline and conformity to strict social norms, Taoism allowed for more eccentric, sometimes almost mad behavior.

Topics that came up in the discussion:

Hudson River School
Romanticism (note the disclaimer at the top of the article; proceed at your own risk
Neo-Classicism
Li Bo [Li Po]; also known as Li Bai ; also see 300 Tang Poems for examples of his poetry. "Drinking Alone with the Moon" is one of my favorites! (Includes the original Chinese text.)

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We are searching for a new classroom. We discussed Emerson; some other possiblities have come up in the meantime. I'll keep you posted.

There is now a class Blackboard site. Look here for images.

Reading for next class: Chaves, continued; Stanley-Baker, Japanese Art, Chapter 1, "Introduction."

January 24

We started with some very general discussion that explored the class's perception of Japan. Everyone contributed some comments about what kinds of things they associated with Japanese culture. I noticed that most people mentioned something connected to Japan's art or aesthetics. This may have something to do with the topic of the class--you wouldn't be taking it unless you were interested in Japanese art. At the same time, however, it's quite true that Europeans and North Americans have come to know about Japan through its art, and this for some very specific reasons that we will explore over the course of the semester.

We also started our discussion with the two articles, "What is Visual Culture" and "Images and Marks," in an effort to think about some of the course's basic premises.

In "What is Visual Culture," Malcolm Barnard presents a few definitions for the term "visual culture," in increasing degree of specificity:

What is visual?

1. Everything that can be seen (this would have to include nature, not just human productions)
2. Everything that humans produce or create (this would have to include involuntarily produced things, like bodily fluids)
3. Things with functional or communicative intent such as typefaces, advertisements)
4. Things with aesthetic intent ('beautiful' things created for their own sake, i.e. 'art')

What is culture?

Not nature (or)
The productions of elites/people in power (or)
The productions of popular culture, including subcultures

In this course, we'll be looking at examples of objects that fit into various places in these two spectrums.

Some things that came up in the course of the discussion were:

London underground typeface:
Transport for London
This typeface is called "New Johnston," and you can look at it here at Indentifont, where it's called "the most influential typeface of the early twentieth century."

Keith Haring (in reference to grafitti): This isn't the world's greatest image, but it's what I was thinking of when the topic came up, here.

We just started the discussion of Julian Bell's "Images and Marks," discussing the early biblical injunction against human-made images, and the view that such images were an affront to God.

January 19, Orientation

The class met for the first time today. The handouts were:

1. Syllabus
2. Class policies
3. Map to C A Crowley's office
4. Information about response papers

We went over the syllabus and the other handouts. We talked about the readings and other assignments. Students handed in some introductory information about themselves and their personal goals for the semester.

There are two readings for next time, "What is visual culture" and "Images and marks." Both are available through online reserve.

In the next class we'll go over some more introductory material about Japan and Japanese culture generally, and then discuss the readings.

Assignment Schedule

(Subject to revision. Last update January 19, 2005)

Thursday, January 19
Orientation

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Introduction: Reading Pictures, Visualizing Literature

Tuesday, January 24
ABOUT SEEING, I.
"What is Visual Culture?" from Art, Design, and Visual Culture, Malcolm Barnard; "Images and Marks," from What is Painting? Representation and Modern Art, Julian Bell.

Thursday, January 26
ABOUT SEEING, II.
"Introduction," Jonathan Chaves, The Chinese Painter as Poet.

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Part One: Japanese Art Basics

Tuesday, January 31
SURVEY OF JAPANESE ART.
Japanese Art, "Introduction."

Thursday, February 2
SURVEY OF JAPANESE ART.
Japanese Art, "Prehistoric Period."

Tuesday, February 7
SURVEY OF JAPANESE ART.
Japanese Art, "Asuka and Nara."

Thursday, February 9
SURVEY OF JAPANESE ART.
Japanese Art, "Heian."

Tuesday, February 14
SURVEY OF JAPANESE ART.
Japanese Art,"Kamakura and Muromachi."

Thursday, February 16
SURVEY OF JAPANESE ART.
Japanese Art, "Momoyama and Edo."

Tuesday, February 21
SURVEY OF JAPANESE ART.
Discussion. PAPER TOPICS DUE.

Thursday, February 24
ABOUT SEEING III
Excerpt from Kojiki (Record of ancient matters); poems from Manyoshû (Collection of ten thousand leaves); "Preface" to Kokin waka shû (Ancient and modern poems anthology). Handout.

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Part Two: Image and Text in the Classical Period

Tuesday, February 28
POETRY AND PAINTING I.
Ise monogatari (Tales of Ise). Excerpts from Tales of Ise, Helen McCullough, translator. Read Episodes 1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 23, 69, 125.

Thursday, March 2
PPOETRY AND PAINTING II.
Hyakunin isshu (One hundred poets, one poem each). Pictures of the Heart: The Hyakunin Isshu in Word and Image, Joshua Mostow, pp. 141-174.

Tuesday, March 7
GENJI MONOGATARI (Tale of Genji) I.
Tale of Genji Chapter 1, "The Paulownia Court," Chapter 10, "The Sacred Tree." Edward Seidensticker, translator. By March 21, view VHS 3060, The Illustrated Handscroll of the Tale of Genji (Run time is 60 mins.).

Thursday, March 9
GENJI MONOGATARI (Tale of Genji) II.
Tale of Genji, Chapter 17, "A Picture Contest," Chapter 25, "Fireflies." PAPER PROPOSALS (THESIS PARAGRAPH, OUTLINE, AND BRIEF BIBLIOGRAPHY) DUE.

March 14 &16
Class cancelled. Spring Break

Tuesday, March 21
GENJI MONOGATARI (Tale of Genji) III.
Chapter 28, "The Typhoon."

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Part Three: Medieval Aesthetics of Impermanence and Austerity

Thursday, March 23
THE AESTHETICS OF IMPERMANENCE: MEDIEVAL MISCELLANIES
Excerpts from Kamo no Chômei's Hôjôki (Account of my hut) and Yoshida Kenkô's Tsurezuregusa (Essays in idleness), Donald Keene, translator.

Tuesday, March 28
THE AESTHETICS OF IMPERMANENCE: NOH DRAMA
Izutsu (The Well cradle). Royall Tyler, translator.

Thursday, March 30
THE TEA CEREMONY: WABI (austere) TASTE.
Okakura Kakuzô, The Book of Tea. FIRST DRAFT OF PAPER DUE.

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Part Four: Image and Text in the Early Modern and Modern Periods

Tuesday, April 4
CHUUSHINGURA AND ITS IMAGERY I.
Read the first part of the play Chûshingura (The Forty-seven rônin), Donald Keene, translator.

Thursday, April 6
CHUUSHINGURA AND ITS IMAGERY II
Class cancelled. View film, Chûshingura (The Forty-seven rônin), available at the Music and Media Library (DVD 650) or a commercial video rental store. (Run time is 207 minutes.)

Tuesday, April 11
CHUUSHINGURA AND ITS IMAGERY III.
Read the second part of the play.

Thursday, April 13
OKAKURA, FENOLLOSA AND "JAPANISM."
Karatani Kôjin, "Japan as Museum," from Alexandra Munroe, Scream Against the Sky: Japanese Art After 1945.

Tuesday, April 18
"JAPANISM" REVISTED.
Tanizaki Junichirô. In Praise of Shadows (In'ei raisan). SECOND DRAFT OF PAPER DUE (MINIMUM 8 PAGES).

Thursday, April 21
ANIME AND MANGA I.
Evening class, view film.

Tuesday, April 25
ANIME AND MANGA II.
"Introduction: A Short History of Manga" from Sharon Kinsella's Adult Manga: Culture and Power in Contemporary Japanese Society; excerpt from Tale of Genji manga.

Thursday, April 27
Conclusion. PAPER DUE.

Final exam is due May 5.

About the course

Goals of the course:

We will examine the ways in which literature and the visual arts have interacted in Japan from classical times to the modern period. Our texts are examples of poetry, fiction, picture scrolls, paintings. calligraphy, woodblock prints, drama, films, and animation. We will observe how images and ways of seeing and reading them resonate with, recur, and are transformed by the historical moment in which they appear. By the end of the semester, you will:

• Develop a working knowledge of common images and topoi in Japanese literature and art.
• Explore some Japanese ways of approaching the composition and consumption of verbal and visual texts.
• Challenge assumptions about what is "Japanese" about Japanese aesthetics, and create new questions about it.
• Know the meaning of names, terms, and places under discussion, and understand how they relate to one another.
• Be familiar with basic research tools and methods, write a well-argued, informed, and critically-engaged paper, and be able to speak about your research with clarity and confidence.

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Required texts:

Three of the assigned texts should be purchased at the DUC bookstore. Otherwise, all assigned texts are available through on-line reserve, www.library.emory.edu. Please bring a copy of all assigned readings to class. Do not come to class without readings. Those who do will be marked absent.

Kakuzo Okakura. The Book of Tea. Boston: Shambala Publications. 2001.

Joan Stanley-Baker. Japanese Art. London: Thames and Hudson (1984) 2000.

Jun'ichirô Tanizaki. In Praise of Shadows. Stony Creek, CT: Leete's Island Books, 1977.

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• Requirements:

1. Read all assigned texts.
2. Strict attendance. Read "Policies" handout for attendance policy.
3. Seven written responses to readings. See handout for information on due dates.
4. Mid-term and final examination.
5. One 8-10 page paper. Paper proposal must be submitted in advance and approved by the instructor.

• Assessment:

Exams: 25% each.
Paper: 25%
Response papers: 15%
Participation (attendance, contribution to discussion): 10%

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Information about the class and instructor

Instructor: C A Crowley
Office: 1707 North Decatur Road
Tel: 404 727 5087
E-mail: ccrowle@emory.edu
Office hours: By appointment
Class Time: Tuesday and Thursday 2:30 - 3:45
Class Location: Woodruff Library 874