− | ''Nihonga'' emerged out of a reaction against movements to fully embrace Western painting styles and techniques as part of the surge towards modernity, discarding traditional Japanese painting as non-modern, as backwards and as being "of the past." | + | ''Nihonga'' emerged out of a reaction against movements to fully embrace Western painting styles and techniques as part of the surge towards modernity, discarding traditional Japanese painting as non-modern, as backwards and as being "of the past." It was developed also, in part, out of a desire to establish a "national" form of painting. |
| It is important to note, however, that a great many artists produced works in both the ''Nihonga'' and ''yôga'' modes, studying in one first before switching to the other, or dabbling simultaneously in both. This was a time when the art world was highly politicized, with rivalries between Tokyo and Kyoto, and between various factions within both ''Nihonga'' and ''yôga''; art historian [[Ellen Conant]] has argued that the efforts of Fenollosa and Okakura polarized unnecessarily,<ref>Conant. p14.</ref> an influence that lasted at least until [[1907]], when Okakura served as a judge at the first [[Bunten|Ministry of Education Juried Exhibition]]. Yet, at the same time, many artists still had their feet in both ''Nihonga'' and ''yôga'' circles, or practiced one before switching to the other. | | It is important to note, however, that a great many artists produced works in both the ''Nihonga'' and ''yôga'' modes, studying in one first before switching to the other, or dabbling simultaneously in both. This was a time when the art world was highly politicized, with rivalries between Tokyo and Kyoto, and between various factions within both ''Nihonga'' and ''yôga''; art historian [[Ellen Conant]] has argued that the efforts of Fenollosa and Okakura polarized unnecessarily,<ref>Conant. p14.</ref> an influence that lasted at least until [[1907]], when Okakura served as a judge at the first [[Bunten|Ministry of Education Juried Exhibition]]. Yet, at the same time, many artists still had their feet in both ''Nihonga'' and ''yôga'' circles, or practiced one before switching to the other. |
| While many artists continued to depict fully traditional (read: pre-Meiji) scenes, the 1920s saw a significant increase in the production of works depicting contemporary, modern life, and of portraits painted from life. [[Domoto Insho|Dômoto Inshô's]] "Hill" (1924) and [[Ikeda Yoson|Ikeda Yôson's]] "Snow in Osaka" (1928) are particularly well-known examples of this. | | While many artists continued to depict fully traditional (read: pre-Meiji) scenes, the 1920s saw a significant increase in the production of works depicting contemporary, modern life, and of portraits painted from life. [[Domoto Insho|Dômoto Inshô's]] "Hill" (1924) and [[Ikeda Yoson|Ikeda Yôson's]] "Snow in Osaka" (1928) are particularly well-known examples of this. |