rengemon　蓮華文

KEY WORD :　art history / paintings

Also renge karakusa 蓮華唐草. Lit. lotus pattern. A decorative floral and vine design motif that originated in China and features the lotus, or water lily blossom. Although the lotus was used as a decorative motif in Egypt from ancient times, its use in India and Far-East Asian cultures is usually associated with the decoration of Buddhist art and architecture. The motif appears, for example, on the halos *kouhai 光背, pedestals *daiza 台座 (see *rengeza 蓮華座), and attributes held in the hands of a Buddhist image *jimotsu 持物 as well as on roof tiles of temple architecture. When the lotus pattern was transmitted from India through China to Japan it was stylized and combined with floral scroll patterns such as *nindoumon 忍冬文 and *karakusamon 唐草文. As a revered flower which creates blossoms with many seeds, the lotus also functions as an auspicious symbol in China and Japan, appearing on secular art such as paper decoration, textile patterns, as well as ceramics and porcelain. The flower also appears in pictures of water-fowl and lotus pond motifs, renchi suikin-zu 蓮池水禽図.

REFERENCES:

EXTERNAL LINKS:

NOTES:

(C)2001 Japanese Architecture and Art Net Users System.　No reproduction or republication without written permission. 掲載のテキスト・写真・イラストなど、全てのコンテンツの無断複製・転載を禁じます。