japanese influence in crafts historically

There is an undoubted and growing love of Japanese crafts and style in the western online crafts community. The history of this relationship in design and crafts extends into the past, but surprisingly not that far. I’m currently reading a good basic survey of Japanese Art by Joan Stanley-Baker, refreshing my memory of my Asian art history studies.

Before the 1860′s Japan was, for most purposes, closed to outside influence. Though Portuguese and Dutch traders were allowed on the island, they were kept in tightly controlled areas, like the port of Nagasaki. And no Japanese citizen was allowed to leave the country. The US forced Japan to open for trade in 1854, and after this began the Meiji Restoration, which sparked a huge influx of western culture into Japan… and likewise, a flow of Japanese culture to the outside. (more here).
Recently, I’ve been reading more crafts history and a particular exhibition seems to be the source of some Japanese-influenced crafts, and I was surprised. I always thought those decadent Crazy quilts were made in odd-shaped pieces due to a simple reduce-reuse-recycle approach towards the precious velvets and silks which are often used. In this article on the history of crazy quilts at the Caron website, the writer explains that it was influenced from a Japanese glazing technique called ‘crazing’, which had an all-over broken finish. (Crazy quilted Kimono from 1890)

“The influence of Japan on crazy work was both direct and indirect, The Japanese aesthetic is very different from the Western one: asymmetry is preferred to symmetry; a central perspective from a fixed viewpoint, a basic concept in Western art, is absent in Eastern art. Broken planes and the separation of planes by a strong diagonal, as well as objects occurring across a field of vision are all uniquely [Asian]“

As well as this “traditional Japanese motifs like storks, owls, and other birds, as well as dragonflies, insects, spider webs, butterflies, flowers and fans (both folding and panel shaped) began appearing everywhere.”

It was specifically during the Centennial Exposition of 1876 that brought about these big trends in decorative design.

“In 1876, an English designer bought a shipment of Japanese objects for Tiffany’s in New York City. That same year Japan’s showing at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition fostered a vogue for all things Japanese. Artists and designers were inspired by the simplicity of Japanese wares and drew on them to create an increasingly influential cult of beauty in every day objects. Innovative designs and a variety of colors, eventually introduced into the Deerfield Society of Blue and White Needlework, broadened the local organization’s appeal and resulted in a larger clientele. The maker’s mark, a “D” in the flax wheel, is incorporated into the center of the design.” (From Memorial Hall Museum)

Resource for historical research

The dragonfly embroidery is from 1905-1915, and it looks very modern to me. It is because this specific era of Asian influence was a huge part in bringing about the modern aesthetic that we are familiar with now.

The image above was from the Digital Collection at the Memorial Hall Museum. There are ‘over 2000 images’ of textiles, toys, furniture. And the archive allows you to ‘zoom in’, and when the original images are in high resolution, you can see some great detail. Excellent resource!