「私は日本画を描いています」このフレーズを聞いてどんなイメージをお持ちだろうか。
墨を使って絵を描いている。 線を使って絵を描いている。 伝統的な絵画を描いている。
などいろんな意味で曖昧な感じで、此れと言って外れているわけでもなく、合っているわけ
でもない。
先日「日本画の難しいところ・楽しいところ」というテーマでお話をする機会がありました。
そもそも日本画というものは何なのかという説明自体が難しいのですが、一般的な「日本画」のイメージと実際では大きなズレがあります。 その辺のお話です。
「日本画という芸術は、大きく分けて2つの定義があります。
A、日本画様式
B、膠や顔料などの画材
平安時代後期に制作された源氏物語絵巻、信貴山縁絵巻、伴大納言絵詞絵巻、鳥獣人物戯画絵巻などの優れた古典作品は「大和絵（やまとえ）」と呼ばれ、現在の日本画の基点と考えられている。
中国や朝鮮から渡来した「唐絵（からえ）」に対し日本独自な様式や技法が「大和絵（やまとえ）」となります。
その後大和絵は、土佐派に流れを置き、「狩野派」「琳派」と時代を変え表現様式を変化させ、日本の文化的な背景をもとに、世界が評価する名品が多く生まれることになる。
その中には、風神雷神図屏風（俵屋宗達）、紅白梅図屏風・燕子花図屏風 （尾形光琳）、動植綵絵（伊藤若冲）などが挙げられる。
（今回「浮世絵」は特殊領域にと判断して外しました）
大きな転換点は芸術でも明治維新で「日本画」という言葉もこの時代に生まれている。
アメリカの日本美術研究家アーネスト・F・フェノロサの言葉 Japanese Painting から直訳したのが「日本画」の始まりのようです。興味深いのは、日本画の主な特徴として「描写しない・陰影がない・輪郭線がある・色調が濃厚でない・表現が簡潔」ということも挙げている。
また岡倉天心は、東京美術学校（現東京藝術大学）や日本美術院などを創設し、横山大観、速水御舟、前田青邨、平山郁夫、下田義寛、千住博 など現代に繋がっている。
（☆掲載した画家は、私個人の関わりや繋がりで選別）
次回（その２）へ続く。
What kind of image do you have when you hear the phrase, "I paint Japanese-style paintings?
What do you think of when you hear the phrase "I draw Japanese-style paintings"? I draw with lines. I am drawing traditional paintings.
It is ambiguous in many ways, not necessarily out of the ordinary
I am not out of line, nor am I in agreement with the artist.
The other day, I had an opportunity to give a talk on the theme of "Difficult and enjoyable aspects of Japanese-style painting.
It is difficult to explain what nihonga is in the first place, but there is a big discrepancy between the general image of nihonga and the actual situation. I would like to talk about that.
The art of nihonga can be broadly divided into two definitions.
A. Japanese painting style
B. Painting materials such as glue and pigments
Excellent classical works produced in the late Heian period, such as Tale of Genji picture scrolls, Shigisan-en picture scrolls, Ban Dainagon picture scrolls, and Birds, Beasts, and Humans caricature picture scrolls, are called "Yamato-e" and are considered the basis of the current Japanese painting art.
In contrast to "Karae," which came from China and Korea, the style and techniques unique to Japan became "Yamato-e.
Later, Yamato-e was followed by the Tosa school, then the "Kano school" and the "Rim school," and the style of expression changed over time, resulting in the creation of many masterpieces that are highly regarded worldwide based on Japan's cultural background.
Among them are the Wind and Thunder Gods (by Sotatsu Tawaraya), Red and White Plum Trees and Swallow Flowers (by Korin Ogata), and Pictures of Animals (by Jakuchu Ito).
(Ukiyoe was omitted from the list this time because it was considered a special area.)
A major turning point in the art world was the Meiji Restoration, during which the term "Nihonga" (Japanese-style painting) was coined.
The term "nihonga" seems to have started as a direct translation of the American Japanese art researcher Ernest F. Fenollosa's phrase "Japanese Painting. Interestingly, he also mentioned that the main characteristics of Japanese painting are "no description, no shading, outlines, rich colors, and concise expression.
Okakura Tenshin also founded the Tokyo Fine Arts School (now Tokyo University of the Arts) and the Japan Art Institute, and his work is linked to the present day by artists such as Yokoyama Taikan, Hayami Gyoshu, Maeda Seison, Hirayama Ikuo, Shimoda Yoshihiro, and Senju Hiroshi.
(*The painters listed above are selected based on my personal involvement and connections.)
To be continued in the next article (Part 2).
☆ アーネスト・F・フェノロサ ☆
明治維新後の日本は、盲目的に西洋文明を崇拝し、日本人が日本美術を大切にしていないことにショックを受け、日本美術の保護に立ち上がる。
滅亡寸前の「日本画」「仏像」「仏画」などの日本美術を救った人物。
《狩野芳崖とのエピソード》
1882年、西洋文明へのコンプレックスに支配されていた日本画の第１回コンクールを企画し、狩野芳崖を見出し優れた才能を開花させた。
日本美術や文化を敬愛するただの物好きな外国人程度にしか思っていなかった芳崖だが、「どうか話を聞いでください！ 」「あなたほどの優れた才能を持っている方が絵を描かないのは国家の悲劇です」と貧困のどん底で、陶器の下塗りで生計を立てていた芳崖に迫った。
そこで鑑識眼を試すために毛利家に伝わる古い絵をみせたが、作品の見所を完璧に語り尽くしたフェノロサに言葉がでなかった芳崖。
そして「今後あなたが描いた絵は必ず買い取ります。 迷惑でなければ、絵に専念できる家も提供させて下さい」とまで言い、日本人が見向きもしない自分の絵を、親子ほども年の離れたアメリカ人が必死でその価値を解くことに激しく感動し、2人は固い握手を交わし、フェノロサはこの翌年から芳崖の生活費の支給を始める。
また、パリ万博に出品した作品「観音図（個人蔵）」を買い戻し、狩野芳崖絶筆「悲母観音像」を描くプロセスを作る。
☆ Ernest F. Fenollosa ☆
Shocked by the fact that Japan, after the Meiji Restoration, blindly worshipped Western civilization and Japanese people did not value Japanese art, he stood up to protect Japanese art.
He is the person who saved Japanese art such as "Nihonga" (Japanese-style painting), "Butsuri" (Buddhist sculpture), and "Butsuga" (Buddhist painting), which were on the verge of extinction.
The episode with Kano Hogai
In 1882, he organized the first competition for Japanese painting, which was dominated by a complex toward Western civilization,
He discovered Hogai Kano and helped him develop his outstanding talent.
Hogai had thought of him as nothing more than a curious foreigner who admired Japanese art and culture, but he was told, "Please listen to me," and "You have such a great talent! It is a national tragedy that a man of your talent is not painting," he pressed Hoge, who was living in the depths of poverty and making a living by priming pottery.
He showed him an old painting from the Mori family to test his discernment, but Fenollosa, who described the highlights of the work perfectly, left Hogai speechless.
He then said, "I will definitely buy your paintings from now on. Fenollosa was so moved by the fact that an American, who was about the age of a father and son, was so desperate to explain the value of his paintings, which no Japanese would pay attention to, that the two shook hands firmly, and Fenollosa began to provide living expenses for Hoge the following year.
He also bought back the work "Kannon (Goddess of Mercy)" (private collection), which he had exhibited at the Paris Exposition, and created the process of painting "Kannon the Goddess of Mercy with Sorrowful Mother" by Hogai Kano, an exquisite work.