Persian Miniatures

 

Persian miniatures are tiny paintings from the 14th and 17th centuries which were mostly featured in manuscripts.  They were extremely expensive to commission, and therefore only belonged to the rich and elite.  They cost was due to the expensive materials used and the large amount of time it took for artists to complete a miniature (some could take up to a year to complete!)  They were made using gold and silver leaf, very bright colors, and lots of detail. 

In the comments section of this post, choose one Persian Miniature and either an example of Islamic Calligraphy or a Ukiyo-e print.  Compare and contrast the artistic styles of the two, with emphasis on the calligraphy (if you chose a calligraphy example) or the figures (if you chose Ukiyo-e.)  Then, comment on at least two of your classmates' posts.

Islamic Calligraphy

Islamic Calligraphy is an artistic form of writing which is extremely important to the Islamic culture since it is how the Qu'ran was recorded.  There are different styles of writing within calligraphy, including Kufic which is a clean, geometric form.  Proportion is very important, and is based on the letter Alif (basically like the letter "A") which is a vertical line.  The height of this line determines the height of the rest of the script.

Calligraphy is done using a qalam, which is a pen made of reed.  Ink is put inside the reed, and the flow of ink is controlled by a small slit cut into the bottom.

 

Think about the process used to make Islamic calligraphy, Ukiyo-e printing, and Thangka.  What are the similarities and difference between these processes and artistic styles?  Which do you think would be the most challenging, the most fun, and the easiest?  Why?

Answer the above questions in a comment on this post, and respond to the posts of two of your classmates as well.  

Thangka: Tibetan Silk Paintings with Embroidery

Thangka is a type of Tibetan painting (also referred to as a scroll painting) which is done using embroidery and Tibetan silk.  The images portrayed in Thangka often refer to Buddhist deities and famous scenes, and also may contain mandalas.  It is made up of three separate parts: a painted or embroidered picture panel, some sort of textile mounting, and then usually a silk covering (or in some cases, leather corners or decorative wooden knobs.)

 

Go to this website and find some more information on Thangka (or find your own reliable source.)  Find two facts that you find particularly interesting and post them in the comments section - but make sure you do not repeat facts that your classmates have already used.  Then, comment on two other posts.

Ukiyo-e: Pictures of the Floating World

 

 Ukiyo-e (translated as "pictures of the floating world") is a type of Japanese woodblock printing dating back to the 17th and 20th centuries.  The "floating world" is better described by a contemporary novelist named Asai Ryōi, who wrote described it as:

"... Living only for the moment, turning our full attention to the pleasures of the moon, the snow, the cherry blossoms and the maple leaves; singing songs, drinking wine, diverting ourselves in just floating, floating; ... refusing to be disheartened, like a gourd floating along with the river current: this is what we call the floating world...(source)"

The process of making a Ukiyo-e print was not done by a single artist, and was instead a collaborative project done by the artist, publisher, woodblock carver, and the printer.  However, usually only the artist and the publisher received credit for the print.  

Ukiyo-e prints were made using the following procedure (source):

• The artist produced a master drawing in ink
• An assistant, called a hikkō, would then create a tracing (hanshita) of the master
• Craftsmen glued the hanshita face-down to a block of wood and cut away the areas where the paper was white. This left the drawing, in reverse, as a relief print on the block, but destroyed the hanshita.
• This block was inked and printed, making near-exact copies of the original drawing.
• A first test copy, called a kyōgo-zuri, would be given to the artist for a final check.
• The prints were in turn glued, face-down, to blocks and those areas of the design which were to be printed in a particular color were left in relief. Each of these blocks printed at least one color in the final design.
• The resulting set of woodblocks were inked in different colors and sequentially impressed onto paper. The final print bore the impressions of each of the blocks, some printed more than once to obtain just the right depth of color.

In a reply to this post, answer the following questions, then reply to at least two of your classmates' responses as well.

1. How do you think the process of working with a team would change the way a work of art is made?  Would you prefer to work alone or collaboratively?  Why?
2. Do a little research.  What subjects were most often depicted in Ukiyo-e prints?
3. What is your opinion of this artistic style?