Japanese follows English/日本語は英語の後に記載
Hello, this is Nisreen! Today, I am finally sharing the 10th episode of my podcast! I’m going to introduce three Japanese artists from different time periods who captured the preciousness of animals in their art.
Please find the audio file below. It's available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
If you enjoyed the podcast, Please share a review on Apple Podcasts or rating on Spotify. It would be lovely if you share the episode on social media as well. And of course, you’re more than welcome to let me know your thoughts about this topic from the contact form.
You'll also find the full script and related links below!
--Script--
Hello, this is Nisreen! Today, I am finally sharing the 10th episode of my podcast! It’s lovely to speak to you again.
This time, I’m going to focus on my favourite subjects in art: animals! I will introduce three Japanese artists from different time periods who captured the preciousness of animals in their art.
The first artist is-unknown! This is because Chojujinbutsugiga, the artwork that’s considered the first manga in history was created a long time ago. It was made between the Heian and the Kamakura era, or between 12th and 13th century. Multiple artists seem to have been involved in this project, but their names are not specified. Chojujinbutsugiga literally means Animal-person Caricatures. It is a set of four picture scrolls that belong to Kōzan-ji temple in Kyoto, Japan. In "Kōhon Nihon Teikoku Bijutsu Ryakushi" [A Brief History of the Art of Imperial Japan], published in 1916, these works were praised as “humor full of hidden satire.” I fully agree with this take on the artwork. The first thing you’ll notice about the paintings is their goofiness. For example, in one image, a couple of rabbits and a fox are obviously amused by the sight of a frog just lying upside down. Nearby are some into the river with cheeky smiles on their faces. The behaviours of these animals appear to be caricatures of humans. However, the depiction of the fluffy features of the animals is exactly on point, and look nothing like humans! They’re purely animal. There are people portrayed in the work too, but it just stands out how adorable those little animals are compared to them.
The next thing you’ll notice is the speedy touch of the brush. The art is in black and white, and may come across as simplistic. But once you try to imitate it, you’ll learn how sophisticated the artist’s techniques were. The streaming strokes perfectly convey the little beasts’ motions, or even passage of the time, which is one of the work’s preoccupations. The combination of perfect cuteness and satirical humour makes this medieval masterpiece art comical and fresh even to the modern audience’s eyes.
This dynamism also exists in the next artist’s work. Ito Jakucho worked in the mid-Edo-era, or from 1716 to 1800. He’s is known for his vivid animal portrayals, especially of roosters.
He was the eldest son of a wealthy vegetable wholesaler in central Kyoto. People seemed to view him as a loner who was all about painting. He took over the family business, and kept eagerly painting on the side. When he was 40, he moved into Sokokuji-temple, and started painting full-time.
His style is very unconventional, and not like any other artists from the same era. Though he was initially influenced by Chinese paintings and the Kano School method, which was dominant at the time, he developed his own style through daily live sketching. If you look at works by the Kano artists from the era such as Hidenobu Kano, or the famous lithographer Husai Katsushika, they are excellent, but their work is quite static. On the other hand, Jakuchu’s work is exceptionally dynamic and focused on motions of the animals, with explosions of colour. They’re eccentric and humorous at times. More than anything, they’re full of love and sympathy for the animals. The monk Daisuke, who was close to Jakuchu, recalls an anecdote in which Jakuchu felt sorry for live sparrows sold at a market, so he bought several dozen and set them free in his garden. I believe this episode tells us a lot about the artist.
The last artist is from the very modern times- JUN from Ibaraki Prefecture, who was born in 1996. He is known for his heartwarming illustrations, merch, and manga featuring dogs. His seriesこんにちはいぬです— ‘Hello, I am a dog’—is entirely dedicated to all the dogs around the world. I have to emphasise how the book sensitively depicts the dogs’ instrinsic loyalty and unconditional love. In his manga and design work, he also incorporates some fantastical elements, such as dogs speaking to the birds, or seeing ghosts. These aspects perfectly match his art. If you are a dog lover, you’ll relate to the author’s pure appreciation for dogs with no doubt. But also, he shows solid observation skills in simple sketches of different breeds of dogs, called ‘おいぬかわいいメモ’ or ‘Dog Cuteness Notes’. I was blown away by how he captured the way pugs always sit slightly sideways, for example.
If you don’t read Japanese, I am sorry, but Jun’s books aren’t in translation as of now. But even if you don’t understand the language, you will definitely enjoy his adorable artwork. His use of the pastel colours and the soft organic linework give warm and fuzzy vibes. What’s also remarkable about Jun is the vast variety of dogs covered in his work! I get the impression that similar types of manga or illustrations end up depicting just one or two types of dogs. But he draws any breed. I believe he deserves to be called a dog ambassador to the field of illustration!
So, there you go, three Japanese artists who embody love for animals. I will link the websites that show their artwork and related information in the blog post. Please make sure to check them out!
I’d be delighted if you write a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or rating on Spotify. It would be lovely if you share the episode on social media as well. And of course, you’re more than welcome to let me know your recommendation about art from the contact form in the description.
Thank you so much for listening. Goodbye for now!
こんにちは、ニスリーンです！今日はついに私のポッドキャスト第10回目のエピソードをお届けします！ 動物の尊さを描くことで知られる、3人の日本人画家を異なる時代からご紹介します。
以下オーディオファイルからお聴きいただけます。またApple Podcasts とSpotifyにもアップロードされています。もし感想などありましたら、contact formから教えていただくかソーシャルメディアでシェアをしていただけますと、とっても嬉しいです！
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