2006 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Study of Sesshu based both on his works and documentary sources around him
| Project/Area Number |
15520095
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Aesthetics/Art history
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| Research Institution | Musashi University |
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Principal Investigator |
ONISHI Hiroshi Musashi University, Faculty of Humanities, Professor (30011307)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2003 – 2006
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| Keywords | Sesshu / overseas trade around China / landscape painting as elite art / topographical sketch as technology / cultural dignity / economical circulation / Age of Discovery / Sakai and Ningbo-two hub-ports |
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| Research Abstract |
This study focuses specifically on some still unexplored aspects concerning Sesshu's travel to China from 1467 to 1469. Methodologically, two different approaches were taken and turned out to shed new lights on Sesshu's life and works. One approach touches directly the works themeslves the artist created during his stay in China. The other in turn probes documentary records leading us to Sesshu's life and works from both Chinese and Japanese sides.
One significant outcome of this study is the fact that this Japanese artist could be reconsidered in the context of the world wide movement in this era ; the so-called Age of Discovery. One of his works dare to describe minutely a rising trade hub-port along the Yantze River. There are some others whose keen interests are centered on either urban landscapes or foreign people from all over the Asian countries.
At the same time, Sesshu was immersed in the elite Wenren circles in Jinangnan District. His famous Four Season Landscape, now in Japan, was actually done for a certain Jiangnan elite and was long kept-even up to the early 20^<th> century--by one of the Chinese prince's family. In sharp contrast, this was never a map-like urban scene nor a genre picture rendition above mentioned. No wonder, Sesshu was deeply committed in both high and low societal activities. What is interesting is that this fact is attested by documentary sources such as the Diary of Kiko Daishuku who was active in Sakai whch is well konwn as a new city quite open to contemporary economomical and cultural trends overseas.
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