When it comes to Japanese art, I am familiar with only ukiyo-e as a form of painting, and Katsushika Hokusai is the only painter I am familiar with, so I know very little about the origin and development of Japanese art. Therefore, I believe that such a book on Japanese art will allow me to understand the origins and development of Japanese art and its application in other art forms.
As the title of the book suggests, "A 'History of Japanese Art in European Collections'", Louis Gons, the author of this book, collected a large number of historical documents, defined the general context of Japanese art history, established its chronology, and made Europe and the world aware of the role of Japanese artists.
Originally published in 1883, it has been more than 100 years since the book was written, and from today's point of view, there is a more complete, comprehensive and systematic introduction to Japanese art, but at that time, it was undoubtedly the best way for the West to understand the history of Japanese art before the 20th century, and it is also a good supplement to our understanding of Japanese art history today.
The book consists of 10 chapters, which introduce an overview of the history of Japan, the country and the nation, as well as Japanese art forms such as painting, architecture, and lacquerware, and interpret the "Japonism" that swept Europe in the 19th century, allowing readers to see the spread of Japanese art in Europe and people's understanding of Japanese art.
As a veteran collector and art critic, the chapter on painting is the focus of the author's book, and he introduces the development of Japanese art and the artistic careers of Japanese heavyweight painters of various eras through the historical materials he has collected from various aspects, and makes an appropriate evaluation of them.
Therefore, when we read this book, we are not only reading the history of Japanese art, but also tracing the renewal and iteration of Japanese schools and painters along the way. From a collecting point of view, the understanding of these painters and their works helps collectors to better appreciate and collect.
Among these many painters, the author devotes a lot of pen and ink to introducing Katsushika Hokusai, who was also the first Japanese painter known to the European world. Katsushika Hokusai was a commoner painter whose subjects mostly came from the life of the city, and whether it was natural scenery, plants, birds, animals, or various people, he was able to paint his own characteristics and fully display his talent. He did not belong to any one school, but he pushed Japanese painting to a new peak.
Art is closely related to life and even politics, and Japanese art is no exception. Therefore, the author begins with an overview of the history of Japan, the country's natural environment, and the inheritance and development of the nation. Of course, Japanese art has also been influenced by foreign cultures, such as Chinese painting and ancient Persian art, and these foreign cultures have been integrated with the local Japanese culture, which has made Japanese art more diverse and has promoted the development of Japanese art.
Fine arts can be said to be the foundation of other art forms, such as architecture, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, etc., are inseparable from art, inseparable from the inspiration of painters' creation, they are not only an extension of art, but also a better presentation of art in life.
Such a history of Japanese art based on the collection allows us to see the knowledge and understanding of Japanese art in the European collecting community, and also allows us to get a glimpse of the essence of Japanese art with the help of their collections.