Ezra Freelove
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Despite Japanese isolationism beginning in 894, Chinese monks were invited to teach in Japan. They brought with them the Ch'an style of painting, which the Japanese slowly developed into a style of their own.An early example of distinctively Japanese monochrome style is the handscroll Choju Jimbutsu Giga, Rabbit Diving, (Figure 9) dated to the twelfth century. These scrolls seem to be a satirical commentary on religious practices. The most celebrated Japanese painter of the monochrome style is an artist of the Muromachi period named Sesshu (1420-1506). Sesshu worked in two styles: shin, sometimes called lyric, and characterized by angular, complex brushwork; and so, which is also called hatsuboku , or "splashed ink". Sesshu's Long Landscape Scroll (Figure 10) , in the shin style, forges forceful brushwork, arbitrarily placed forms, abrupt transitions from near to far, and exaggerated shapes of branches, into a distinctively Japanese expression. This boldness of expression is characteristic both of the
Japanese feudal system and the martial aspects of Zen Buddhism. The Hatsuboku Landscape for Soen (Figure 11) , by Sesshu, is an extreme example of splashed ink style. Most important about this painting is its impact on the viewer, which is immediate and convincing. In the spirit of Zen, the painting is a means of emptying, so that only calm remains. Also of great importance to the development of Japanese monochrome painting was the artist Sesson Shukei (1504-1589). Sesson's Wind and Waves (Figure 12) is extremely simple and elegant. Rather than expressing the eternal aspects of nature, as in Chinese painting, this painting shows nature in one dynamic moment.
The significance of the monochrome style of ink painting cannot be overstated. It is an important expression of cultural values, providing insight into the far reaches of Chinese and Japanese history. It also provides the basis for modern expression, especially in Japan, where its potentialities have been extended through the wood block print and even film making.