Japanese Art

Key information

Status
Module not running
Module code
158100019
FHEQ Level
6
Credits
15
Department
School of Arts & Department of History of Art and Archaeology

Module overview

This module aims to introduce students to the major works and movements in the history of Japanese visual culture through the examination of selected works of art dating from early times to the 1800s in relation to religious, literary, historical and social contexts.

Material covered ranges from religious paintings, sculpture and architecture to the secular arts, such as prints and textiles. Students will be exposed to the collections of Japanese art in the British Museum and the V&A Museum and they will have the opportunity to study the objects in depth, developing both connoisseurship and critical knowledge in the process. Classroom discussion will be complemented by study-visits to museums.

Objectives and learning outcomes of the module

On successful completion of this module students will be able to

  • Develop advanced knowledge and understanding of the themes, issues and debates of Japanese art relating to: social contexts; processes of representation; and ways in which meaning is constituted, through in depth examples.
  • Compare and evaluate different approaches to understanding art traditions in Japan.
  • Assess critically the materials and themes explored in the module through the use of particular examples from Japan.
  • Apply a range of skills used in art history, including independent study and research and presentation skills.

The learning outcomes for this module are in line with those of the BA History of Art program as a whole with its emphasis on the analysis of visual and material culture from a range of themes and within an understanding of the social, political, religious and cultural contexts for the production and use of art.

Workload

  • Lectures: 2 hours per week

Method of assessment

  • 700-word critical image analysis for second year and 900 words for final year (worth 20% of marks)
  • 1,500-1,700-word essay for second year and 1,700-2,000 words for final year (worth 30%)
  • Exam: 2 hours (worth 50%)

Suggested reading

  • Stanley-Baker J, Japanese Art (London, revised ed. 2000)
  • Varley P H, Japanese Culture (New York, 1984, 4th ed., 2000)
  • Screech, Timon. Tokyo Before Tokyo: Power and Magic in the Shogun 's City of Edo. London, UK: Reaktion Books, 2020. [e-book available]
  • Screech, Timon. Sex and the Floating World: Erotic Images in Japan, 1700-1820. London: Reaktion Books, 1999.
  • Mason, Penelope E., and Donald Dinwiddie. History of Japanese Art. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2005.

Disclaimer

Important notice regarding changes to programmes and modules.