Female Images in Chinese and Japanese painting

Abstract

This article analyzes female images in Chinese and Japanese painting (Bijin-ga). The subject of this research is the depiction of Chinese beautiful women on the scrolls of the X – XVII centuries and Japanese woodblock printing of the XVII – XIX centuries. Attention is given to the works of modern artists. It is noted that the aesthetic ideals are oriented towards the perception of beauty in the context of national culture of China and Japan, which undergo changes in each era, nurtured by Buddhism, Shintoism, Taoism and Confucianism, which contributed to the development of female image and symbolic sound. The fact that the worldview orientation towards women and their status in the Far Eastern society faded away defines the relevance of the selected topic. The novelty of lies in the comparative analysis of philosophical-aesthetic traditions of Chinese and Japanese painting, reflected in female images in the historical development, with the emphasis on its modern development. The conclusion is made that the assessment of female image in Chinese and Japanese art requires taking into account the national mentality, spiritual traditions, and interinfluence of cultures. The perception of the changing image of women in society plays a special role. It is determined that the depiction of women in clothes and face paint that conceals their body shape and facial emotions, deprive a woman of her individuality and lower her social status. Such trend remains in the contemporary art of these countries. Up until now, female images resemble the symbolism of depiction, closeness to nature, interweaving of external and internal content substantiated by the aesthetic, ethical and philosophical saturation of painting, indicating the uniqueness of each culture and its national heritage.