Iwasa Matabei (active 1617-1650) was the son of the Samurai Araki Murashige (d.1586) who served under Oda Nobunaga. After his father's death and subsequent upbringing in Kyoto in 1579, he took his mothers name and pioneered the later depiction of figures in Fuzokuga or Genre Painting in Japanese Art.[7] Classical art forms such as Ink wash and Full colour painting were part of Iwasa's portfolio which combined both the Fuzokuga of the Tosa and Kano schools. His work is known for its early use of figures, who characteristically often have large heads and delicate body features as depicted in Classical Asian figure art history. His work is often today seen as the forerunning link or influence between the divergent mid 17th century Classical Japanese High and Low Arts of Yamato-e and Ukiyo-e.[1] He is therefore regarded as the 'founder of Ukiyo-e'.[7]
The changing Japanese Figure
Classical Buddhist notions of beauty imported from the Asian mainland held that portraiture was a vain venture, such as idolatry in some Christian traditions was considered. Therefore until the later Muromachi period, figures were kept in small numbers with little detail in Japanese art, which reflected the standards of the Buddhist mainland traditions, particularly that of Chinese artists. However by the beginning of the Edo period (1603-1868), this had begun to change. Primarily this change came with the influx of foreigners such as the Portuguese, who are depicted lavishly in Nanbanjin Art of the period. During the first quarter of the 17th century on with Stabilisation policy and the end of the warring period, Japanese merchants became wealthier than the upper classes who did not trade with these foreigners. As such, the reins of power changed hands and a new taste came about reflecting these changing circumstances.
With this in mind, Fuzokuga painting was developed from the branching arts of the second quarter of the 16th century which still prioritised the conveyance of Buddhist art and teachings, but had begun to open its purse strings to the artisans. Figures by the middle of the century therefore, became not indicators of the mortal and simply carcasses which carried Buddhist high-minded morals in lengthy scrolls and screens depicting Monogatari decrying the wicked, but instead evermore a representation of the Everyday. Art during the 1630's is a prompt move from the religious to depicting the lives of wealthy Chonin. However printing was not yet in full effect. Whilst a limited number of Sumizuri-e were printed, these were often seen as simply expensive and technologically advanced E-maki ( 絵巻 | Hand-scrolls). Instead of the monochrome images in these, Artists and Wealthy patrons often commissioned instead Kakemono, or hanging wall scrolls to be admired in the Tokonoma ( 床 | wall alcove) which were normally in full colour. Before 1615 these were incredibly rare, but became more prominent later on.
Classical Beauties
It was in this climate that Iwasa would have begun his painting career, one which saw incredibly early portrayals of figures. Often these were based on Edo notions of Classical beauty, such as the works of Zhou Fang (Chinese scroll painter active in Tang China) and Japanese Heian figures, which would have been considered suitable to being committed to eternal representation. Iwasa was under the tutelage of Kano Naisen (1570–1616), who would more than likely have introduced Iwasa to Nanbanjin art, which prominently featured figures in its depictions. Iwasa therefore trained under the Kano school in his youth.[1][3] In Kyoto Iwasa would have studied traditional Japanese and Chinese art, traditions and subjects.
Tosa was known for its Yamato-e (Classical Japanese depictions) and Kano for the rendering by Japanese artists of Chinese folklore and history.[2] Naisen who is remembered today for his byobu with figures would have for the time been creating radically new forms of traditional Kano art by incorporating such lavishly detailed contemporary figures, rather than depicting classical or mythological figures. With the death of his mentor in the Kano school however in 1616 he became involved in the court of Matsudaira Tadanao (1595-1650) by 1617, where he began signing his work as 'Katsumochi' and 'Doun'.[7] Some of his wealthier patrons may include Karasumaru Mitsuhiro (1579-1638), Masaaki Atsukai (dates unknown), and Sonjun Hosshinno (1591-1653).
Fortunately for us, Matabei, most likely considered himself a social pariah of the upper class world of courtiers and princes, felt more at home with the comparably lower class Machishu ( 町衆 | old money wealthy Kyoto merchants).[8] By 1620-1630, it is hypothetically viable that Iwasa had begun to form a reputation for his style, and formed a circle of like-minded people around himself who helped him to develop his understanding and appreciation of classical and applied art and eventually it is believed he may have studied under Tosa Mitsunori in Sakai until 1635.[5][7] By 1637 Iwasa had moved out to Edo, becoming a Chonin himself.[6][7] In the late 1630's with his connections and now established personal portraiture style, he was commissioned by Tokugawa Iemitsu (1604-1651) to draw portraits of the 36 Poetry Immortals (1640).[1] Other painted commissions in the style included the Ise, Genji and Horie Monogatari.[9]
It seems that by the time Iwasa had established himself as the successor of the Tosa School, he often frequently flipped between the Kano and Tosa sensibility in the theoretical idolatry of depicting contemporary figures his own teachers straddled and therefore Iwasa himself broke away from the repetive molds of Kakemono, Handfan and Byobu depicting traditional war tales like the Horie to instead depict modern portraiture more in line with the style of the Tosa. Seemingly the first of many Japanese artists to do so, he is said to have drawn figures with a keen sense of wit and charm to his figures which broke with tradition by humanising the figure whilst keeping within expected stylistic confines of the day, having a highly down to earth character to his approach to depiction.[4]
Characteristic components of the Iwasa style include large heads, humourous posture and highly refined facial and appendage detail applied with fine brushes. Many of his poses such as The Four Pleasures often feature languishing, lounging or horizontal postures. As typical of the Tosa school, none of his figures ever face the viewer, frozen in place in their heavenly depictions of Buddhist lifestyle and behaviour. Whilst it is thought that his work was too upper-class to be related in any form to the lascivious world of Ukiyo-e, Iwasa and his students instead shows us the bridge Japanese art took in the depiction of figures as being something of High Art to Everyday Art, in providing the kindling so to speak for the proverbial Bijin Kindling of the 1670's Bijin Bonfire seen in works of Jihei and Moronobu.[1]
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Yamato-E Bijin
The Iwasa Bijin is therefore early High Art; presented in full colour, which appealed to the conservative patron or readers sensitivities providing a bridge between the cycles of Samsara. Iwasa has inadvertently in creating his own independent art in the Tosa style, developed figures to such an extent that he has created a new form of figure, the attractive figure, rather than simple figures for religious purposes. The beauty of Iwasa's style uses previously existing traditional art theory and combines that with increasingly 'baser' lower cultural influences, such as Naisen's contemporary Nanban ornate figurines and combines that with Tosa figurine art theory and Iwasa's knowledge and appreciation of Classical Chinese art to create his own modern style. His figures were for the Kanbun era, a cultural reset in the truest sense of the idea of that and opened doors for further artistic license in the future of the acceptable portrayal of figures. Whilst colour and material is traditionally aligned, artistic license here is the key to the Iwasa way. Body language, subtlety and delicate linework combine to create unique portraiture in this floating or transient world between Buddhist iconography art theory (the work itself that is) and the viewer, therefore transforming the possibility of figures as simply false idols to that of the Chonin ideal. That is a flesh and blood human idol which Chonin could look to for guidance and to reflect their own struggles and desires as members of the lower classes whilst still respectably depicting the Buddhist ideals they also admired and followed. This is reflected in Shikomi-e when we think of how a society with previously only portraiture of noble women, courtiers and nuns, all exemplars of good moral wives, could suddenly have the male gaze turned onto them. Again, the masquerade of respectable Buddhist icons of dancing artisans, who are in fact to the 17th century gentlemen of Japanese artisans simply Bijin. Thus allowing the birth of the Bijin-ga in a previously highly conservative art tradition priorly produced in temples to depictions of Maiko with their Eri slipping all over their delectable napes. The Iwasa Bijin, whilst not to the Genpei, but certainly to the Kanbun era, is therefore the Yamato-e Bijin. A depiction of a conservatively appropriate and Ga (refined) female beauty. Iwasa Bijin are bold for their time, breaking barriers of acceptability politics between the new and old money at the beginning of the Edo period during a period of new-found stability and spending after over 130 years of continous warring.
For more examples (I am limited legally by Copyright restrictions on what I can/cant show here):
1) https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-1340750 'Dallying Couples'
2) The Yamanaka Tokiwa Scrolls
3) https://alchetron.com/Iwasa-Matabei
Bibliography
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iwasa_Matabei
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tosa_school
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kan%C5%8D_Naizen
[4] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG3703
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tosa_Mitsunori
[6] https://www.britannica.com/biography/Iwasa-Matabei
[7] An illustration of the Ise monogatari : Matabei and the Two Worlds of Ukiyo, Sanoy Kita, 1984, pp.252-258, The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art
[8] https://www.japanese-wiki-corpus.org/history/Machi-shu.html
[9] https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/horie-monogatari-emaki-illustrated-tale-of-horie-iwasa-marabei/wAGvQnBxpyKeAw?hl=en
Bijin Series Timeline
8th century
- Introduction of Chinese Tang Dynasty clothing (710)
- Sumizuri-e (710)
- Classical Chinese Art ; Zhou Fang (active 766-805) [Coming Soon]
15th century
- Fuzokuga Painting schools; Kano (1450-1868) and Tosa (1330-1690)
16 century
- Nanbanjin Art (1550-1630)
- Byobu Screens (1580-1670)
- End of Sengoku Jidai brings Stabilisation policy (1590-1615)
17th century
- Early Kabuki Culture (1603-1673) ; Yakusha-e or Actor Prints
- Sumptuary legislation in reaction to the wealth of the merchant classes (1604-1685)
- Regulation of export and imports of foreign trade in silk and cotton (1615-1685)
Iwasa Matabei (active 1617-1650) ; Yamato-e Bijin
- Sankin-Kotai (1635-1642) creates mass Urbanisation
- Shikomi-e (1650-1670) and Kakemono-e which promote Androgynous Beauties; Iwasa Katsushige (active 1650-1673) [Coming Soon]
- Mass Urbanisation instigates the rise of Chonin Cottage Industry Printing (from 1660) ; rise of the Kabunakama Guilds and decline of the Samurai
- Kanazoshi Books (1660-1700); Koshokubon Genre (1659?-1661)
- Shunga (1660-1722); Abuna-e
Kanbun Master/School (active during 1661-1673) ; Maiko Bijin
- Hinagata Bon (1666 - 1850)
Yoshida Hanbei (active 1664-1689) ; Toned-Down Bijin
- Asobi/Suijin Dress Manuals (1660-1700)
- Ukiyo-e Art (1670-1900)
Hishikawa Moronobu (active 1672-1694) ; Wakashu Bijin
- The transit point from Kosode to modern Kimono (1680); Furisode, Wider Obi
- The Genroku Osaka Bijin (1680 - 1700) ; Yuezen Hiinakata
Sugimura Jihei (active 1681-1703) ; Technicolour Bijin
Miyazaki Yuzen (active 1688-1736) [Coming Soon]
Torii Kiyonobu (active 1698 - 1729) [Coming Soon]
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