Concerning Nara rocks ...

[docliss]

Following Dave’s previous posting of a (?)Nara tsuba, have any members remarked a recurring feature on both Ko-Nara and later Nara tsuba? Quite often the landscapes of these include, on one or other surface, a small rock formation that is remarkably consistent in its structure, and I am attaching several images to demonstrate this. While its presence may not be considered to be a ‘defining characteristic’ of the group – although I note that Dave’s tsuba also included such an element – I wonder if any member has an explanation for this. Does it occur in any of the Japanese legends, or is it a geographical feature of the region?

 

John L.

[Ford Hallam]

Interesting observation, John

 

To my eyes, though, the three rocks you've chosen to illustrate your point appear quite distinct from each other and seem to echo the varieties of rock formation that are often to be seen in Japanese painting/design albums. As such I would suggest that the origin of such rock shapes may in fact be Chinese paintings. Certainly all three could be seen as varieties of "Scholars rocks" and their inclusion in the compositions may owe something to Suiseki.

 

The actual placement of the rocks in the compositions appears quite conventional to me also. They strike me as being quite generic design elements added to provide interest in an otherwise empty space. The possibility also exists that the rock is meant to symbolise the Earth in the classic expression of Chi - Jin - Ten (earth - man - heaven).

 

I would also point out that far from being exclusive to Nara productions this element (the rock) is to be found in the compositions of many other schools who specialised in taka-bori iroe . Goto Ichijo certainly used this effect. It's rather common in Hamano work and the various students of Mitsuoki Otuki weren't averse to a few tastefully placed rocks either.

 

regards,

 

fh

[george trotter]

Hi Ford,

I can only offer an untrained opinion...it occurs to me that the responses to your questions are probably on target...these rocks are probably conventions to "humanise" the sagacious figure depicted and to "bring familiarity" of the everyday world to the viewer. I have walked many temple grounds and other natural sites in Japan and to my mind, the placing of the little cluster of rocks with (always) the attendant sasa leaves that are so typical of the everyday Japanese scene, immediately familiarises the viewer with the picture. It also puts the "notable person, sage, bonze" etc depicted into a shared understanding...making it more credible as a scene.

I suppose the Chinese Taoist influence is apparent in the larger formations...but again, familiarised by the sasa leaves.

Just a thought.

George.

[Markus]

I agree with George as the rocks being a stylistic measure - bearing Chinese landscape paintings

in mind as Ford said - to place the central motif in a more natural environment.

[Jean]

It seems it is not unique to Nara School, here is an Otzuki tsuba ura side

[John A Stuart]

This rendering of rocks adhere to the rules of Shan Shui in Chinese brush painting (Sumi-e in Japanese) and is Sansui in Japanese, as noted before. The rocks or mountains with water indicate the Yin and Yang elements. Rocks generally are shown with 3 faces to indicate the third dimension. With flower-and-bird paintings, sometimes a single flower hangs as if suspended in space, or the flowers and plants of different seasons appear together. Explained by one of the Ming painters, Wang Fu(1362-1416), as “likeness through unlikeness” and Qi Baishi(1863-1957) as “subtlety of a good painting lies in its being alike and yet unlike the subject” . John

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hello,

 

Additionally, in gardening as well as in art such as paintings, the placement of a rock outcrop like we see here is a technique frequently used to carry the observers attention to certain views/perspectives, it also serves like a comma to simply allow the eye take a restful pause.