NARRATIVE ILLUSTRATED HANDSCROLLS IN JAPANESE ART - AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF SPECIMENS FROM THE 12TH AND 13TH CENTURIES

Sabry, Dalia Ashraf Moustafa

doi:10.47436/jaars.2025.372262.1250

NARRATIVE ILLUSTRATED HANDSCROLLS IN JAPANESE ART - AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF SPECIMENS FROM THE 12TH AND 13TH CENTURIES

Document Type : Specialized scientific research papers

Author

Dalia Ashraf Moustafa Sabry

Art History Department, Faculty of Fine Arts, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt.

10.47436/jaars.2025.372262.1250

Abstract

Narrative handscrolls are considered one of Japan's most prominent art forms, through them, the art of painting developed. It was a purely Japanese art form, devoid of any foreign influences from the mainland. Handscrolls are an important part of Japanese art history, having had a significant impact on many forms of narrative art. As they were considered a precursor to modern comics and animation. This research aims to examine the illustrations of narrative handscrolls during the 12^th and 13^th centuries in Japan. This period witnessed the production of the most remarkable illustrated narrative handscrolls in Japanese history, which served as a model for artists in later periods. The research examines them historically and analytically, identifying narrative styles in illustrated works. This research focuses on three different categories of subject matter: firstly, court literature, as manifested in “The Tale of Genji"; secondly, Buddhist stories, which produced the “Hungry Ghosts"; and thirdly, historical events and battle scenes, from which the "Night Attack on the Sanjô Palace" was chosen. Through a comparative analysis of different categories of subjects, the results revealed the distinctive characteristics of Japanese narrative handscrolls.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Research in the fields of Visual arts (Painting, Murals, Graphics, Animation and Book Art, Sculpture).

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