Art from Japan's Edo Period

Here are the slides from our lesson on art during Japan's Edo period. Click on the picture to see a larger version.

Four Japanese Demons

Daimyo Procession, 

Insect Procession

Otsu-e Yakko - Standard Carrier

Otsu-e Goblin in Prayer

Otsu-e Storefront

View of Matsushima

Mt. Fuji from Miho-no-Matsubara

Rice Paddies and Fuji after Taiga

Basho with a Deer

Basho and Two Haiku

A Samurai's Tale

Use at least 8 of the following terms in your Samurai's tale.

Write you tale in your history journal next to the samurai picture.

Due Friday.

Terms

• shogun
• daimyo
• armor
• weapons
• training
• "fear of death"
• haiku
• bushido
• Zen
• seppuku
• samurai women
• Amida Buddha
• tea ceremony
• calligraphy

Your tale can be about a single day in a samurai's life or about the entire life of one samurai.  Your samurai can be a man or a woman.

Heian-Kyo Journals. Life in Japan's Golden Age

The Heian-Kyo period is considered Japan's Golden Age because it produced so many great works of art including many diaries like Sei Shonogan's Pillow Book.

Use your notes from the activity and chapter 21 to create your own pillow book about life in Heian-Kyo Japan.  Follow the directions on the handout and the blue sample pages on the white board.

You should focus each paragraph of your pillow book/diary on one section of your notes.  Be sure to include at much historical information in your diary as you can.  Even the pictures should be historical.

You may include captions for each picture as part of your 500-700 words.

Remember 500-700 words is between three and five pages for most people, including pictures.

You may make your diary tell a longer story.

Here are some pictures you can use to inspire your diary.  You may base your illustrations on these pictures.

Shrine of Emperor Kammu.  Your dairy might describe a trip to one of Heian-Kyo's many shrines. You might describe what the priests look like the way Sei Shonagon's did in The Pillow Book

Fujiwara Michinaga. Remember your meeting with Fujiwara Michinaga? You can include it in your diary.

A fan from the Heian-kyo period. This could be the fan you found. You can mention it in your diary.

A lady in Heian-kyo period makeup. If you're writing about a woman in your diary, you can describe putting on all of this make-up.

Heain-kyo era painting of a scene from TheTale of Genji.  You might be reading Lady Murasaki's book. Write your reacting to the latest chapter in your diary.

Sei Shonagon the author of The Pillow Book. Maybe she mentioned you in it. Maybe you have read some. You can include something from one of the lists she wrote.

What was life in the United States like 50 years ago?

Go to this website to find out what life was like in America at the time when Brown Girl Dreaming is set.

Country Living.

While you're there, view as many of the slides in the show as you can. You don't have to see them all.

Take notes on five of the slides including a description of the picture and at least one note from the description.

Be prepared to write a paragraph about the things that surprised or impressed you about life in 1968.

Witness in a Box: Examples by Professional Artists.

Here are some examples of Joseph Cornell and Betye Saar's work.  You can use these as models or inspirations for your own Witness in a Box project.

"Parrot for Juan Gris" by Joseph Cornell

"Cassiopeia 1" by Joseph Cornell

"We Was Mostly About Survival" by Betye Saar

"The Liberation of Aunt Jemima" by Betye Saar

Rules for your Witness in a Box project.

Must use: 

• a box provided by the teacher.
• images and shapes
• something that hangs or moves
• creativity

May not use:

• words.
• images of the person.
• photographs of the actual event.

May use and material in the classroom or at home.

This is a 75% project.*  Be creative. Take your time. Make your product look good.

*Final grade will include an artist statement and the essay.