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The term yamato-e, which means "Japanese pictures," was first used in the Heian period to distinguish works painted in a Japanese style from those executed in the Chinese manner, or kara-e. Traditional yamato-e is characterized by native subject matter, often taken from literature, and themes associated with famous places or the four seasons. Stylistically it features striking compositions, the frequent use of flat planes of rich color, and a number of codified pictorial devices such as fukinuki yatai ("room with roof blown away").

Citation for this page

Department of Asian Art. "Yamato-e Painting". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/yama/hd_yama.htm (October 2003)

Suggested Further Readings Find these publications in a library

Akiyama, Terukazu. Japanese Painting. New York: Rizzoli, 1977.
Kuroda, Taizo., et al. Worlds Seen and Imagined. New York: Asia Society Galleries, 1995.
Mason, Penelope. History of Japanese Art. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004.
Murase, Miyeko. Bridge of Dreams: The Mary Griggs Burke Collection of Japanese Art. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000.
Murase, Miyeko. Masterpieces of Japanese Screen Painting: The American Collections. New York: G. Braziller, 1990.

Related information by department

Asian Art: Features and Exhibitions; Collection Database