B1677 - History of East Asian Art (1) (LM)

Academic Year 2023/2024

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, students have an advanced knowledge of the main historical-artistic and iconographic-iconological themes relating to East and South Asian art, with particular reference to its genesis and diffusion. They will be able to contextualize artworks in the cultural areas of their provenance, are familiar with the history of studies and know how to orientate himself/herself in the historiographical debate concerning the main themes and problems. They are able to present their knowledge in oral and/or written using the appropriate terminology and with reference to the specialised bibliography. They are able to research and give form to the results of their own research, and to critically examine materials, bibliographic and documentary sources of different types.

Course contents

The Image of the Buddha: origin and development of the iconography of the Enlightened One and other Buddhas in China and Japan.

The course will be devoted to the representations of the Buddha in China and Japan. It will begin with an overview of the debate on the origin of the Buddha image in India and will proceed with the current views on the mode and paths of its transmission to China and Japan. The lectures will concentrate on representation of Śākyamuni, Maitreya and Amitābha through the analysis of various examples of Chinese and Japanese sculptures and paintings dating from the 5th to the 15th century. The final lecture will summarize the salient topics and problems explored during the course and will include exercises in preparation for the exam.

The detailed programme, covering the various topics and concepts explored, will be presented during the first lecture and will be available together with other resource material on the "Virtuale" platform.

From MONDAY 18th March 2024.

Readings/Bibliography

Bibliography for students attending:

All the texts above are found on the 'Virtuale' platform.

- P. Mitter, Indian Art, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2001. [selezione dal volume]* p. 20 ("The Buddha Image controversy") e pp. 23-26.

- D. Patry Leidy, The Art of Buddhism, Shambala, 2009, pp. 9-55.

- M. Taddei, "Some Reflections on the Formation of the Buddha Image", in G. Verardi e A. Filigenzi (a cura di), On Gandhāra, Napoli, Università degli Studi di Napoli, 2003, pp. 593-607.

- Wu Hung, “Reborn in Paradise: A Case Study of Dunhuang Sutra Painting and its Religious, Ritual and Artistic Context”, Orientations, 23, 5, 1992, pp. 52-60.

- Mizuo Hiroshi, “Representations of Raigō in Buddhist Art”, Japan Quarterly, 17, 1, 1970, pp. 51-57.

- Helmut Brinker, “Shussan Shaka in Sung and Yüan Painting”, Ars Orientalis, Vol. 9, 1973, pp. 21-40.

- Qing Chang, "The Budai Maitreya and the Group of 18 luohans", Southeast Review of Asian Studies, 32, 2010, pp. 22–47.

- D. Wong, "Maitreya Buddha Statues at the University of Pennsylvania Museum", Orientations, 32, 2, 2001, pp. 24-31.

- D. Wong, "Four Sichuan Buddhist Steles and the Begeinnings of Pure Land Imagery in China", Archives of Asian Art, vol. 51, 1998/99, pp. 56-79.

- R. Thorp & R.E. Vinograd, Chinese Art and Culture, Upper Saddle River, Pearson, 2006, pp. 201-3.

- P. Mason, History of Japanese Art, Upper Saddle River, Pearson, 2004 (2a ed.), pp. 57-87; 141-149; 205-212.

The PDF course tools made available to students are required reading for the exam. They will be put on the 'Virtuale' platform at the beginning of each week (every three lessons).

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Bibliography for students NOT attending:

All the texts above are found on the 'Virtuale' platform.

- P. Mitter, Indian Art, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2001. [selezione dal volume]* p. 20 ("The Buddha Image controversy") e pp. 23-26.

- D. Patry Leidy, The Art of Buddhism, Shambala, 2009, pp. 9-55.

- M. Taddei, "Some Reflections on the Formation of the Buddha Image", in G. Verardi e A. Filigenzi (a cura di), On Gandhāra, Napoli, Università degli Studi di Napoli, 2003, pp. 593-607.

- N. Celli, "All'alba dell'arte buddhista in Cina. Nuove proposte interpretative sull'icona del Buddha in meditazione", in M. Abbiati e F. Greselin (a cura di), Il liuto e i libri, Venezia, Edizioni Ca' Foscari, 2015, pp. 205-220.

- Wu Hung, “Reborn in Paradise: A Case Study of Dunhuang Sutra Painting and its Religious, Ritual and Artistic Context”, Orientations, 23, 5, 1992, pp. 52-60.

- Mizuo Hiroshi, “Representations of Raigō in Buddhist Art”, Japan Quarterly, 17, 1, 1970, pp. 51-57.

- Helmut Brinker, “Shussan Shaka in Sung and Yüan Painting”, Ars Orientalis, Vol. 9, 1973, pp. 21-40.

- Qing Chang, "The Budai Maitreya and the Group of 18 luohans", Southeast Review of Asian Studies, 32, 2010, pp. 22–47.

- D. Wong, "Maitreya Buddha Statues at the University of Pennsylvania Museum", Orientations, 32, 2, 2001, pp. 24-31.

- D. Wong, "Four Sichuan Buddhist Steles and the Begeinnings of Pure Land Imagery in China", Archives of Asian Art, vol. 51, 1998/99, pp. 56-79.

- R. Thorp & R.E. Vinograd, Chinese Art and Culture, Upper Saddle River, Pearson, 2006, pp. 201-3.

- P. Mason, History of Japanese Art, Upper Saddle River, Pearson, 2004 (2a ed.).[selezione dal volume]* pp. 57-87; 141-149; 205-212.

  • J. Williams, "Sarnath Gupta Steles of the Buddha's Life", pp. 171-192.
  • D. Wong, "Huayan Paintings in East Asia", pp. 337-384.
  • R. Sharf, "The Buddha's Figer Bones at Famensi", pp. 38-59.
  • S.C. Morse, "Revealing the Unseen", pp. 24-41.

The PDF course tools made available to students are required reading for the exam. They will be put on the 'Virtuale' platform at the beginning of each week (every three lessons).

 

Teaching methods

Frontal lesson: presentation, reading and analysis of selected works

Assessment methods

This 6 CFU course can be chosen as a part of the 12 CFU Integrated Course "BUDDHIST TRADITIONS IN ASIA (C.I.) (LM)". If the student has the Integrated Course (12 CFU) in his/her study plan, the final grade will result from the arithmetic average of the marks obtained in the two parts ("History of Buddhist Art (1) (LM)" and "History of Buddhist Thought (1) (LM) ").

Students who attend at least 75% of the lessons are considered to be attending. Non-attenders may contact by email the lecturer for an alternative reading list.

The exam will be conducted orally and will assess the student's command of the material studied in the course. The student will be asked to provide a commentary on images selected from among those found in the course texts and will be judged on his ability to summarise and critically discuss topics raised in the course, making use of the exam bibliography and the course tools provided.

The assessment will thus consider the student's:
- competence in commenting on the images, i.e. in identifying, dating and contextualizing the works illustrated;
- knowledge and understanding of the topics covered;
- ability to summarise and analyse themes and concepts;
- familiarity with the terminology associated with the subject and his ability to use it effectively.

Top marks will be awarded to a student displaying an ability to provide a full description of the images and an overall understanding of the topics discussed during the lectures, combined with a critical approach to the material and a confident and effective use of the appropriate terminology.

Average marks will be awarded to a student who has memorized the main points of the material and is able to summarise them satisfactorily and provide an effective critical commentary, while failing to display a complete command of the appropriate terminology. A student will be deemed to have failed the exam if he displays significant errors in his understanding and failure to grasp the overall outlines of the subject, together with a poor command of the appropriate terminology.

There are 6 exam sessions per year, in principle distributed as follows:
- 2 between September and November
- 2 between January and March
- 2 between May and early July

Teaching tools

Power point presentations available to students on the 'Virtuale' platform.

Office hours

See the website of Nicoletta Celli

SDGs

Quality education

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.