The Kamakura Period of Japan was a time of political turmoil. As the emperor and his royal court became more distant from the people and governing of the country, clans of samurai warriors grew strong and began to usurp the power. These clans clashed until Minamoto Yoritomo defeated all other rivals and became shogun of Japan. Leaving the emperor in the capitol in Kyoto, Yoritomo set up his own capitol in Kamakura, ushering in the period.
With the rise of militarism and government upheaval, many Japanese turned to religion for solace. During the early part of the Kamakura period, a form of Buddhism called Pure Land Buddhism became popular due to its message of simple salvation. This inspired a form of painting known as a raigo, which depicted Amida Buddha coming down to earth to welcome the soul of a believe to paradise. Raigos were striking images that used gold paints and gold leaf to make the descending gods radiant against the silk background.
Even though raigo paintings were of a different style than previous religious art, they were still very similar to the previous painting styles and do not stand out as much as the sculpture from this period. The Kamakura period sculpture is much more naturalistic in design. Many of the sculptures have expertly carved faces, human and animal forms, and drapery. A new technique for making realistic eyes out of carved crystal, called gyokugan, was also developed.
The latter part of the Kamakura Period saw the rise of Zen Buddhism in Japan. This form of Buddhism emphasized the work of the individual to reach paradise, not just the gods. This religion became popular with the ruling samurai warriors and flourished.
The paintings of Zen Buddhism are very rough and direct in their use of ink and brushwork. This form expresses Zen spirit, and is somewhat iconic of Japanese art today.
The purpose of this blog is to explore the history of this period and its impact on the art of Japan.
