Japanese Art
Objectives
a) To know the main artistic fields of Japanese art, analyzed in a thematic and temporal perspective;
b ) Mastering the problems related to the study of the subjects taught ;
c) To know the most relevant and accessible literature on the different domains of study;
d ) To be acquainted to the lines of research open on each of the subjects studied;
e) To discuss , in the context of Japanese art, concepts such as " Art", " History of Art", "Visual culture " and " Material culture", as well as artistic learning practices, networks of commissions and means of reception.
General characterization
Code
711061060
Credits
6.0
Responsible teacher
Alexandra Curvelo da Silva Campos
Hours
Weekly - 4
Total - 168
Teaching language
Portuguese
Prerequisites
N/A
Bibliography
BEASLEY, W. G. The Japanese Experience: A Short History of Japan. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1999.
GUTH, Christine M. E., “Introduction” (Chapter 1). Hokusai’s Great Wave: Biography of a Global Icon. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press, 2015, pp 1-53.
MASON, Penelope, History of Japanese Art. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1993.
SANSOM, George, A history of Japan. Tokyo: Charles E. Tuttle Company, 1993.
TANIZAKI Junichirō, In Praise of Shadows. Leete’s Island Books, 1977.
Teaching method
The course features theoretical presentations enhanced by images, museum visits, and classroom lectures by specialists in the relevant subjects covered.
Evaluation method
**ASSESSMENT**
We recommend that you read the FCSH Assessment Regulations, available here:
https://www.fcsh.unl.pt/static/documentos/regulamentos/licenciaturas/Regulamento_Avaliacao.pdf).
Assessment consists of two components:
1) Classroom participation and a group oral presentation (in groups of 3 or 4 students) on a Japanese museum work displayed in a Portuguese institution (40% of the total grade).
2) A handwritten in-person test (with consultation allowed) (60% of the total grade).
All assessment components are mandatory.
Students must attend at least 80% of the classes.
Subject matter
Arts of Japan
Monday/Wednesday 08:00 - 10:00 at TB (Auditorium B2)
18 February – 22 May 2026
Professor Alexandra Curvelo
alexandra.curvelo@fcsh.unl.pt
1. 18.02 – Presentation of the program, bibliography, and methodology, along with an explanation of the assessment criteria.
2. 23.02 – Japan within Asia, focusing on its geographical features, cultural practices, and religious beliefs.
3. 25.02 – Japanese Aesthetics and Concepts of Time and Space (I).
4. 27.02 – There will be a practical class on Friday, February 27, at Casa Ásia. The visit will occur in 2 shifts. Each shift can accommodate up to 25 students.
Shift 1: from 2:15 PM to 3:45 PM
Shift 2: from 4:15 PM to 5:45 PM
5. 02.03 – Japanese Aesthetics and Concepts of Time and Space (II).
6. 04.03 – The material culture of prehistoric Japan (Jōmon, Yayoi, and Kofun periods).
7. 09.03 – The introduction of Buddhism and its impact on architecture and sculpture (I).
After a short introduction, this class will be led by Dr Ulrike Körber.
8. 11.03 – The introduction of Buddhism and its impact on architecture and sculpture (II).
9. 16.03 – The Heian period in Japan: Kyoto and the tangible and intangible culture of the social elite through the classic literary work, the Genji Monogatari.
10. 18.03 – This class is replaced by a practical class on Friday, March 27, at Museu do Oriente. The visit will occur in 2 shifts. Each shift can accommodate up to 25 students.
Shift 1: from 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM
Shift 2: from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM
11. 23.03 – The Warlords of Kamakura Period Japan: A Time of Power and Conflict (I).
12. 25.03 – ‘Dressed to Kill’: the Japanese warrior.
After a short introduction, this class will be led by Dr Madalena Matos.
The Easter break will take place from March 30 to April 06, inclusive.
13. 08.04 – The architecture and aesthetics of Chanoyu [with a viewing of some scenes from the film Rikyu (利休) by Hiroshi TESHIGAHARA (1989)].
14. 13.04 – The aesthetics of Japanese gardens.
15. 15.04 – The Tosa and Kanō schools of painting.
16. 20.04 – The arrival of the first Europeans in Japan and its impact on Japanese arts. Nanban art. Discussion of the concept, the material, and the visual cultures (I).
17. 22.04 – Nanban art. Discussion of the concept, the material, and the visual cultures (II).
18. 27.04 – The City of Edo and the Worlds of Ukiyo-e.
After a short introduction, this class will be led by Beatriz Dantas.
19. 29.04 – Group presentations on a selected object from a Portuguese public collection.
20. 04.05 – Group presentations on a selected object from a Portuguese public collection.
21. 06.05 – Group presentations on a selected object from a Portuguese public collection.
22. 11.05 – The Meiji period: the Nihonga movement.
After a short introduction, this class will be led by Dr Hannah Sigur.
23. 13.05 – The Meiji period: Meiji enamels and ceramics / The arrival of “Art”.
After a short introduction, this class will be led by Dr Hannah Sigur.
24. 18.05 – Tutorial session.
25. 20.05 – Final Exam.