Japanese paintings started off taking their inspiration from the Chinese. Today that still remains the case, but women and landscapes are generally the most popular types of paintings available.

When it comes to Japanese interior decorating, paintings do tend to play a big part in it. Usually the paintings which the Japanese use in their homes are Chinese in style and they often can be fairly complex and interesting to look at. It is all about attention to detail and Chinese paintings offer the Japanese exactly what they are looking for, with some Japanese painters even preferring to paint in a Chinese style themselves.

Japanese Paintings throughout the Years

When you look back at Japanese paintings throughout history, you will see that in the Muromachi period, the paintings mainly told a deep story behind them. It wasn't until the Momoyama period in the 1500's to the early 1600's, that landscapes were introduced. They were generally quite large and they were produced on large screens.

Following on from that period, from the early 1600's right through until the 1800's, the Edo period took place and that was when the paintings really started changing. They started to resemble holy mosaics and were more Western Medieval in appearance. Woodblock style painting was also introduced shortly during this time.

From the late 1800's through to the early 1900's, the Meiji period took place. Following on from where they left off, the paintings of this era were very western in appearance. Paintings really started becoming more popular in this era too, with a number of painting schools opening up and offering different styles of painting. In particular, paintings that utilized black ink were really popular and they were known as 'Suibokuga' and it was taken from China with the influence of the Zen Buddhism.

However, the Chinese black ink paintings were not always appreciated by some of the Japanese. A man named Kano Masanobu and his son Kano Motonobu, planned to open up a Kano painting school which was basically a protest against the Chinese black ink method. Both vibrant and bright colors were introduced and they provided inspiration for Ukiyo-e designs.

Overall there have been many eras in which Japanese paintings have taken their inspiration. These days, women, landscapes and famous places are the most popular style of paintings that the Japanese like to have on their walls.

About the Author

Adam Peters is the author of many articles on subjects like decorating and published at http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com . A website with tips on japanese home decor, amongst many related topics.