An ancient and refined visual art, famous for landscape depictions and portraits of geishas and samurai Below is a brief, non-exhaustive overview of Japanese painting from the 18th century to today.
Nara Period (710-794)
With purely religious purposes, painting in this period was a decorative element of temples and sanctuaries, often depicting episodes from the life of the Buddha. Unfortunately, most of the authors remained anonymous, we can say that in this period pictorial art is very influenced by the Chinese tradition.
Heian Period (794-1185)
Yamato-e is a pictorial style born in this period organized as if it were a narrative of a story organized and painted in most cases on scrolls of parchment or on screens
Kamakura Period (1185-1333)
This is the period of the samurai and military castes who became part of social organizations. Realism characterized the pictorial style of the period
Muromachi Period (1333-1573)
In this period the foundations were laid for a first form of Japanese painting, where a scene was portrayed with a sense of three-dimensionality and space. As a representative exponent of the period we can consider the painter monk Tenshō Shūbun
Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573-1615)
The introduction of gold in paintings and the creation of screens for the reception rooms of castles or noble residences.
As an example of the period we can cite Kanō Eitoku whose remaining works are considered national treasures.
Edo Period (1603-1868)
Ukiyo-e or “Floating World” developed in the historic city of Edo now known as Tokyo.
Initially used as illustrations for books and later printed on postcards or posters. An art within everyone’s reach designed for the inhabitants of Edo which often depicted moments of life in the city and its neighborhoods between samurai and fighters.
The subjects were almost always part of the humblest social classes in their daily lives and in historical and naturalistic landscapes.
The most famous artists of the period were:
Kitagawa Utamaro, Katsushika Hokusai, Utagawa Hiroshige
Among the most famous works we have the 36 views of Mount Fuji created at an advanced age by Hokusai. The subject is precisely Fuji represented in different weather conditions and seasons from variable places and distances. If you look closely at the paintings the subject appears almost in the background and at first glance almost hides in the scene; if you pay attention, however, it represents the common element of the prints and their fulcrum.
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trentasei_vedute_del_Monte_Fuji
Pre-war (1868-1945)
After 1868, Japan opened its doors to the West, becoming a source of inspiration for the impressionist painters of the time, Degas and Monet to name just a few. The French were inspired by the subjects, revolutionizing colors and artistic concepts in their own way.
Post-war (1945-oggi)
In 1947, the Japanese Academy of Art was established.
After the Second World War, new artistic movements focused mainly on themes of urban life developed in large cities, particularly Tokyo.
The style in this period becomes more international than in the past, mixing with Western trends.
We can see this process if you search for the works of Ryōhei Koiso or Yuki Ogura.