Narrative Devices in Art

Object Description
Memoir of the Eastern Journey is a Japanese hand scroll, dating around 1630, made of lightly dyed yellow and blue handmade paper. The opening section, shown here, is decorated with calligraphy; gold and silver chrysanthemums; and a drawing of the bridge at Seta, the first stop on the Tokaido road. This major highway connects Kyoto, the former capital of Japan, to Edo (modern day Tokyo), the new capital. The Tokaido is 589.5 km long and takes about one month to travel by foot (Burt, 1989).

Image and text
This hand scroll is the travel diary of Mitsuhiro, a high-ranking official in the Japanese court. Mitsuhiro recorded the story of his travels on the Tokaido through a combination of poems, text, and drawings. He combines two different styles of calligraphy: the Japanese cursive script (kana) and the more complex and angular Chinese style (kanji). Readers hold the scroll and unroll it from right to left as they look at the story.

The calligraphy to the right of the bridge records details of his journey.

Around the 20th of the first month, I departed for Edo, setting off ripples that would extend the rest of the trip, and crossed the Nagabashi bridge at Seta.

The text over and to the left of the bridge are poems.

Saka no Seki,
Where travelers meet coming and going,
Staying over and over again,
Do I know you, or not?

The Nagabashi Bridge at Seto,,br /> Long and familiar,
Like my thoughts, dyed of
The time with you.
(translated by Karen Mack)

Discussion

1. How does a journal or diary tell a story?
2. How does the way you look at the hand scroll compare to the way you looked at the Cassone panel?
3. What did Mitsuhiro include in his journal?
4. What are some of the differences between the two kinds of calligraphy? What are some different kinds of lettering that you are familiar with? (manuscript, blockprint, etc.)?
5. How can you tell that this picture is about travel even if you can’t read the text? What sorts of things are included in images of travel?
6. How does the length of the hand scroll, 868cm., correspond to the length of the journey?
7. Mitsuhiro filled the scroll right to left, working horizontally. What are some other ways you can design a scroll?

Activitiy
Have students think back to a vacation or field trip that they have taken. Ask them to write a few paragraphs about the experience using descriptive words. Have them make a list of images they remember. After writing, have them think of ways they could incorporate the writing with the images. Also have them think about the different kinds of text they could use. Have them think about how they could use the space on the hand scroll format. Then have the students record their story using watercolor and ink on scroll paper, combining text and drawings.

Evaluation
Attend to the combination of writing and illustration, the types of text, watercolor technique, and use of space on the hand scroll format.