senmenga　扇面画

KEY WORD :　 art history / paintings

Also ougi-e 扇絵. Paintings or calligraphy on paper fans. In Japan, two basic types of fans have been used since the Heian period: fans made of thin strips of cypress wood fastened together are called hiougi 檜扇; and fans which have wood or bamboo ribs covered with heavy paper or silk are called kawahoriougi 蝙蝠扇. The former is a ceremonial fan properly carried in winter and the latter a functional fan used for cooling in the summer. The aristocrats of the Heian period held ougi-eawase 扇絵合, competitions vying for the distinction of possessing the most beautifully decorated fans. Fans of this period, such as the "Uta-e hiougi 歌絵檜扇" and "Senmen Hokekyou kawahoriougi 扇面法華経蝙蝠扇," both in possession of Itsukushima Jinja 厳島神社 in Hiroshima prefecture, were decorated with scenes from popular narratives such as GENJI MONOGATARI 源氏物語 (The Tale of Genji) in colorful pigments, gold, silver and colored papers. During the middle ages, the hiougi continued to be used for certain court ceremonies, but the kawahoriougi enjoyed a broader-based popularity. Also at this time, in addition to the traditional themes, Chinese style paintings and pure ink paintings became popular subjects for fan decoration. In the 17 - 18c, it became popular to arrange fan paintings, often produced by artists of the Kanou school *Kanouha 狩野派, on folding screens *senmen byoubu 扇面屏風. Fans designed and painted in the studios of *Rinpa 琳派 artists Tawaraya Soutatsu 俵屋宗達 (?-1643?) and Ogata Kourin 尾形光琳 (1658-1716) were highly prized for their simplicity of design and richness of technique. In the 18c and 19c, paintings on fans were produced by artists of many schools and styles, including *nanga 南画, *Maruyama-Shijouha 円山四条派, and *ukiyo-e 浮世絵.

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