A Comaprison of Suibokuga and Nihonga Paintings

Suibokuga

Origin and Practice

Ink Wash Painting of Zen Master
 Daruma Meditating

Suibokuga or “ink wash painting” originated in China but contact with Japanese had brought it over to Japan during early periods of Japan such as the Asuka, Nara, and Heian periods. However, it became widely popular and practiced among Japanese artists during the Kamakura and Muromachi period when it was brought over by Zen Buddhists from China. Eventually, it would become very popular in Zen Buddhist art and earlier art forms using ink in Japan. Because Zen Buddhism focuses on individual enlightenment, Zen practices were all about simplicity, clarity, achieving a goal the most natural way. Which is why suibokuga refrains from using different colors, and depth is all about manipulating and mastering the ink with shades of grey. Each ink painting was said to have a specific goal or aim, just like Zen Buddhist beliefs, and use symbolism and calligraphy as hints and hidden messages.

Materials and Preparation

Ink wash paintings are typically done on washi paper (made from rice, hemp,or bamboo) or silk. Suibokuga uses ink such as India ink, which was common in China, or sumi ink, which was from the soot of tree branches in Nara, Japan. Zen masters were disciplined in concentration, precision. Hours of meditation were needed in order to prepare Zen monks for ink wash painting. This meant preparing the 'suzuri' or ink-stone which was much like a meditative process. One must concentrate and free itself from the outside world before even thinking about grinding the ink material with a few drops of spring water. The artist will then grind the ink in an artistic rhythm and only masters will know when the ink is done. Loading the brush is followed, which is made of different types of animal hair which are payed close attention to, and the handle made out of bamboo stalks. Finally, the brush stroke on the washi paper is defined either in light or bold strokes.

Symbolic to Samurai Warriors

Ink wash painting became really popular during the Kamakura Period when Zen Buddhism took over. This was because during that time samurai warriors favored Zen arts aspect of realism. Much like a samurai swordsman, the practice and mastering of ink wash painting took much discipline and control. In fact, ink wash painting became a way to instill values and ways of the samurai. They would often relate the composure of a samurai before battle to the calm and control before one would release a powerful and bold brush stroke, like the power of a striking sword. Just like a samurai going into battle, there was no room for mistakes or errors in ink wash painting, there was only room for perfection. Which was why great concentration and clarity was needed when painting in ink. 

Nihonga

Origin and Background

"Springtime of Life" by Uemura Shoen
Nihonga Painting

Nihonga mean “Japanese painting” but is more based on a more modern style of painting with the use of traditional techniques and inks. When Japan started leaning towards western style oil paintings, there began a decline in the use of traditional Japanese paintings. So, in response to the decline, Nihonga became popular during the Meiji period. Nihonga style paintings combine elements from different styles and techniques in Japan, and also from Western style oil painting. Due to the growing popularity of 'yoga' (western style paintings) Japan felt the need to reinforce their own national style of painting. However, even the art world can have rivalries and the battle between Nihonga and yoga art in Japan became highly political between Tokyo and Kyoto. A lot of people during the Meiji period practiced one or the other, and even both. And element of Nihonga painting was ukiyoe, which was a style of painting done on woodblock. These usually depicted the changing society of Japan, and also became popular as a market type of art that showed trends, a Westernizing Japan, sumo wrestlers, fashion, etc. In fact, Japan became so against Westernization that yoga painters were sometimes accused of being traitors to Japan. Also, calligraphy was in a way separated as a form of visual arts when Nihonga became popular, and soon inscriptions showed little presence in paintings and scrolls.

Materials and Practice

Traditional inks from natural minerals

Nihonga refers to Japanese paintings where natural mineral pigments (iwa-enogu) are used as ink colors as well as sumi ink. A small amount of animal glue solution (nikawa) is used as an adhesive with the paint to stick to surfaces. Nihonga was an even farther step in portraying realism and naturalism. Nihonga paintings use elements like perspective, shading, and shadowing to give paintings a more realistic look. However, they do not use Western type materials like oils, pencil, acrylic, and charcoal. They refer back to traditional methods of ink like sumi ink and sometimes even gold or silver foil. Colors were created from natural materials that can be crushed into a fine powder. Carbon was used for black, red was from coral, blue was from azurite, and white was from oyster shells.

Neo Nihonga

"“Para-para Dancing (Great Empire of Japan) vs.
 Break-dancing (America)”

                   by Tenmyouya Hisashi

Neo Nihonga can be explained simply as “ New Japanese Style Painting” . The term and genre was created by Tenmyouya Hisashi in 2001. Think of it as a contemporary sub genre to the Nihonga style paintings. Unlike Nihonga, Neo Nihonga does not use traditional mineral pigments like in the Meiji period, but uses more modern types of paint such as acrylic and even technology. It uses traditional Japanese line drawing, decoration, symbolism, and playful elements to incorporate contemporary art with classical Japanese aspects. Neo Nihonga develops from classical Japanese styles like ukiyoe and other forms and uses it for modern importance. This means that a lot of Neo Nihonga art uses traditional styles of art, but with a twist of modern day aspects. In Tenmyouya's painting above, he takes a modern form of Japanese dance with women in traditional dress robes called yukata or kimono and pair it with a globally popular style of dancing like break dancing from America.

Sources: 

Suibokuga info here , here, and here
Daruma painting here

Nihonga info here
Neo Nihonga here

Springtime of Life image here
Materials image here
All Tenmyouya Hisashi paintings here