Night in paintings (Eastern art)
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The depiction of night in paintings is common in art in Asia.
Painting Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ...
s that feature the night scene as the
theme Theme or themes may refer to: * Theme (arts), the unifying subject or idea of the type of visual work * Theme (Byzantine district), an administrative district in the Byzantine Empire governed by a Strategos * Theme (computing), a custom graphical ...
are mostly
portrait A portrait is a portrait painting, painting, portrait photography, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expressions are predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, Personality type ...
s and
landscape A landscape is the visible features of an area of land, its landforms, and how they integrate with natural or man-made features, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.''New Oxford American Dictionary''. A landscape includes the ...
s. Some artworks which involve
religious Religion is usually defined as a social system, social-cultural system of designated religious behaviour, behaviors and practices, morality, morals, beliefs, worldviews, religious text, texts, sacred site, sanctified places, prophecy, prophecie ...
or
fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...
topics use the quality of dim night light to create mysterious atmospheres. They tend to illustrate the illuminating effect of the light reflection on the subjects under either
moonlight Moonlight consists of mostly sunlight (with little earthlight) reflected from the parts of the Moon's surface where the Sun's light strikes. Illumination The intensity of moonlight varies greatly depending on the lunar phase, but even the ful ...
or
artificial light Lighting or illumination is the deliberate use of light to achieve practical or aesthetic effects. Lighting includes the use of both artificial light sources like lamps and light fixtures, as well as natural illumination by capturing dayligh ...
sources.


Historical overview

Early oriental artists created works that focused on design and spiritual interpretation of their subjects rather than realistic, three-dimensional representations. For centuries, eastern night paintings were spiritually and emotionally evocative works with unshaded, two-dimensional imagery. Like the western world, the moon, candles, and stars helped set the nocturnal scene. But there were also items, such as clothing and tree leaves, that might be used in a specific way to express nighttime from an eastern perspective. The 16th century
Mughal painter Mughal painting is a style of painting on paper confined to miniatures either as book illustrations or as single works to be kept in albums (muraqqa), from the territory of the Mughal Empire in South Asia. It emerged from Persian miniature paint ...
Basawan Basāwan, or Basāvan (flourished 1580–1600), was an Indian miniature painter in the Mughal style. He was known by his contemporaries as a skilled colorist and keen observer of human nature, and for his use of portraiture in the illustrations ...
was an early artist who integrated western techniques and perspective into eastern art. When trade opened up between the far east and the west art slowly changed in both sides of the world. For instance, Japanese
ukiyo-e Ukiyo-e is a genre of Japanese art which flourished from the 17th through 19th centuries. Its artists produced woodblock prints and paintings Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surfac ...
prints influenced Parisian artists. And, Jesuit priests, like
Matteo Ricci Matteo Ricci, SJ (; la, Mattheus Riccius; 6 October 1552 – 11 May 1610), was an Italians, Italian Society of Jesus, Jesuit Priesthood in the Catholic Church, priest and one of the founding figures of the Jesuit China missions. He create ...
, brought artwork to China that introduced western approaches for perspective and
shading Shading refers to the depiction of depth perception in 3D models (within the field of 3D computer graphics) or illustrations (in visual art) by varying the level of darkness. Shading tries to approximate local behavior of light on the object's ...
. These factors broadened the way in which nighttime was portrayed everywhere.


Symbolism

Black and grey shades often symbolize
gloom Gloom is a low level of light which is so dim that there are physiological and psychological effects. Human vision at this level becomes monochrome and has lessened clarity. Optical and psychological effects Light conditions may be considered g ...
,
fear Fear is an intensely unpleasant emotion in response to perceiving or recognizing a danger or threat. Fear causes physiological changes that may produce behavioral reactions such as mounting an aggressive response or fleeing the threat. Fear ...
, mystery,
superstitions A superstition is any belief or practice considered by non-practitioners to be irrational or supernatural, attributed to fate or magic, perceived supernatural influence, or fear of that which is unknown. It is commonly applied to beliefs and ...
,
evil Evil, in a general sense, is defined as the opposite or absence of good. It can be an extremely broad concept, although in everyday usage it is often more narrowly used to talk about profound wickedness and against common good. It is general ...
,
death Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...
,
secret Secrecy is the practice of hiding information from certain individuals or groups who do not have the "need to know", perhaps while sharing it with other individuals. That which is kept hidden is known as the secret. Secrecy is often controvers ...
, sorrow. The light source in most religious paintings symbolize
hope Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one's life or the world at large. As a verb, its definitions include: "expect with confidence" and "to cherish ...
, guidance or
divinity Divinity or the divine are things that are either related to, devoted to, or proceeding from a deity.divine
. In fantasy paintings light could symbolize magic.


By region


East Asian art


China

Traditional Chinese artists sought to capture the interrelated, vast and multifaceted aspects of nature here are on earth and in the heavens. From the article "The Great Art of China's 'Soundless Poems'", Heaven appears "before us only this bright shining mass; but in its immeasurable extent, the sun, the moon, stars and constellations are suspended in it, and all things are embraced under it."''The Great Art of China's 'Soundless Poems'.''
The Schiller Institute. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
Night scenes, not otherwise distinguishable from daytime in Chinese art, include candles, light emanating from a building, the moon, or lake mists. Symbolism plays an enduring role in the telling of a story through painting or other Chinese art. For instance, stars and the moon are important both for religious significance and as an illustration of
Chinese mythology Chinese mythology () is mythology that has been passed down in oral form or recorded in literature in the geographic area now known as Greater China. Chinese mythology includes many varied myths from regional and cultural traditions. Much of t ...
.Welch, Patricia Bjaaland. (2008). ''Chinese Art: A Guide to Motifs and Visual Imagery.'' Art and Design Series. Tuttle Publishing. p. 10. . Symbols used in art may be grouped into four overarching categories: religious imagery, divine and mortal beings, symbols from nature and inanimate objects. Some examples of symbols include bats which means both good wishes and good luck. The moon, aside from religious and mythical connotations, can also mean a month. The particular way an image is depicted has meaning - like a round eyed-cat means it's a night scene. Artists use rice paper, silk or wood panels to paint night scenes. Silk has illuminating effect, while wood panels create a dark background.


=Battle

= File:Battle of Oroi-Jalatu.jpg, A collaboration between Chinese and European painters, ''The Battle of Oroi-Jalatu'', (China,
Qing Dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
), 1756


=Folklore and literature

=


Literature

File:Zhou Wenjing-Visiting Dai Kui on a Snowy Night.jpg,
Zhou Wenjing Zhou Wenjing (), was a Chinese imperial painter during the Ming Dynasty. His birth and death dates are unknown, but he was active until some time after 1463. Zhou, pseudonym Sanshan (), was a native of Hexian (now Putian) in Fujian province. He ...
, ''Visiting Dai Kui on a Snowy Night'', 15th century (China, Early
Ming Dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...
),
National Palace Museum The National Palace Museum (; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Kwet-li̍p kù-kiung pok-vu̍t-yèn), is a museum in Taipei, Republic of China (Taiwan). It has a permanent collection of nearly 700,000 pieces of Chinese artifacts and artworks, many of which wer ...
File:Liu Jun-Visiting Pu on a Snowy Night.jpg, Liu Jun, ''Visiting Pu on a Snowy Night'', 15th century (China, Early Ming Dynasty),
Palace Museum The Palace Museum () is a huge national museum complex housed in the Forbidden City at the core of Beijing, China. With , the museum inherited the imperial royal palaces from the Ming and Qing dynasties of China and opened to the public in 192 ...
. File:Leng Mei - Figures - Spring Evening Banquet.jpg, Leng Mei,''Spring Evening Banquet'', (China,
Qing Dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
), 1677-1742, National Palace Museum, Taipei. File:Gai Qi Hong Lou Meng 2.jpg, Gai Qi, ''Scene from 'Dream of the Red Chamber','' c. 1816, Qing Dynasty
''Dream of the Red Chamber'' and ''Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio'' were inspiration for night time paintings. Almost 500 legendary tales written by
Pu Songling Pu Songling (, 5 June 1640 – 25 February 1715) was a Chinese writer during the Qing dynasty, best known as the author of '' Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio'' (''Liaozhai zhiyi''). Biography Pu was born into a poor merchant family from Z ...
are compiled in ''
Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio ''Liaozhai zhiyi'', sometimes shortened to ''Liaozhai'', known in English as ''Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio'' or ''Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio'', is a collection of Classical Chinese stories by Qing dynasty writer Pu Songling, ...
'' or ''Liaozhai Zhiyi''. The tales, inspired by oral storytelling, include strong mythical characters like ghosts, immortals, beasts and foxes. They also offer commentary about people, particularly the privileged and court officials, whose human frailties may result in unfair, unjust and other unfavorable treatment to others. He wrote with vivid imagery about the music of heaven, the inability of the light produced by a fire-fly to illuminate the demons of the night, red rings in the sky that shear the heads off of men, and the six conditions of existence: men, sinners, angels, demons, beasts and devils. Nighttime is a symbol for people's inability to understand the world around them. And the supernatural beings are meant to be a mirror to examine the nature of man. From a preface by T'ang Meng Lai to the book, Lai states that the book should prompt the readers to reflect upon the following: "We marvel at devils and foxes: we do not marvel at man. But who is it that causes a man to move and to speak?" One collection of the illustrated stories is at the National Museum of China.


Ghosts and hell

File:Dai Jin. The Night Excursion of Zhong Kui. 189,7x120,2. Palace Museum, Beijing.jpg,
Dai Jin Dai Jin (; 1388–1462) was a Chinese landscape painter best known for being the founder of the Zhe School during the Ming dynasty. Biography An account by Lang Ying (b. 1487) provides the most extensive early biography of Dai Jin. As a young ...
, ''The Night Excursion of Zhong Kui'', 15th century,
Palace Museum The Palace Museum () is a huge national museum complex housed in the Forbidden City at the core of Beijing, China. With , the museum inherited the imperial royal palaces from the Ming and Qing dynasties of China and opened to the public in 192 ...
, Beijing. File:Yanluo.JPG, ''Yanluo'', judge of Hell, inspired by the Hindouist deity Yama
Many of the Chinese ghost beliefs have been accepted by neighboring cultures, notably Japan and south-east Asia. Ghost beliefs are closely associated with the traditional Chinese religion based on ancestor worship, many of which were incorporated in
Taoism Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of Philosophy, philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of China, Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmo ...
. Later beliefs were influenced by
Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
, and in turn influenced and created uniquely Chinese Buddhist beliefs.
Zhong Kui Zhong Kui (; ko, 종규, Jonggyu; ja, 鍾馗, Shōki; vi, Chung Quỳ) is a deity in Chinese mythology, traditionally regarded as a vanquisher of ghosts and evil beings. He is depicted as a large man with a big black beard, bulging eyes, and ...
is a
mythological Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narrat ...
figure, generally a vanquisher of ghosts and evil beings, and reputedly able to command 80,000
demon A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, mythology, and folklore; as well as in media such as comics, video games, movies, ani ...
s. Another mythological figure is ''Yan luo'', the judge of Hell.


=Mood setting

= File:Han Gan Night-Shining White.jpg,
Han Gan Han Gan ( Chinese: 韩干/韓幹) (c. 706–783) was a Chinese painter during the Tang Dynasty. He came from a poor family in either Chang'an, modern-day Xi'an, Shaanxi; Lantian, modern-day Shaanxi; or Daliang, modern-day Kaifeng, Henan. As ...
, ''Night-Shining White Horse,'' ca. 750,
Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 1000 ...
File:Ma Yuan-Banquet by Lantern Light.jpg, Ma Yuan, ''Banquet by Lantern Light'', circa 1200 (China,
Song Dynasty The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...
),
National Palace Museum The National Palace Museum (; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Kwet-li̍p kù-kiung pok-vu̍t-yèn), is a museum in Taipei, Republic of China (Taiwan). It has a permanent collection of nearly 700,000 pieces of Chinese artifacts and artworks, many of which wer ...
, Taipei. File:Ma Lin Guests.jpg, Ma Lin, ''Waiting for Guests by Lamplight'', circa 1250 (China, Song Dynasty) File:Dai Jin-Traveling in Spring Returning at Night.jpg,
Dai Jin Dai Jin (; 1388–1462) was a Chinese landscape painter best known for being the founder of the Zhe School during the Ming dynasty. Biography An account by Lang Ying (b. 1487) provides the most extensive early biography of Dai Jin. As a young ...
, ''Returning Late from a Spring Outing'', 15th century, (China, Early
Ming Dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...
),
National Palace Museum The National Palace Museum (; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Kwet-li̍p kù-kiung pok-vu̍t-yèn), is a museum in Taipei, Republic of China (Taiwan). It has a permanent collection of nearly 700,000 pieces of Chinese artifacts and artworks, many of which wer ...
File:Landscape after Night Rain Shower.jpg,
Kun Can Kun Can (髡殘) (1612 to after 1674) was a Chinese Buddhist monk and painter during Ming and Qing dynasties. He hailed from Hunan, but spent most of his life in Nanjing. He became a Chan Buddhist monk at an early age and in Nanjing was abbot of ...
, ''Landscape after Night Rain Shower'', (China, Qing Dynasty), 1660,
Palace Museum The Palace Museum () is a huge national museum complex housed in the Forbidden City at the core of Beijing, China. With , the museum inherited the imperial royal palaces from the Ming and Qing dynasties of China and opened to the public in 192 ...
, Beijing. File:YuanJiang-Penglai Island.jpg, Yuan Jiang, ''Penglai Island'', 1708,
Palace Museum The Palace Museum () is a huge national museum complex housed in the Forbidden City at the core of Beijing, China. With , the museum inherited the imperial royal palaces from the Ming and Qing dynasties of China and opened to the public in 192 ...
File:A Night Banquet at Peach and Plum Garden in Spring.jpg, Huang Shen, ''A Night Banquet at Peach and Plum Garden in Spring'', (China,
Qing Dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
), before 1772
Chinese artists focus on the spiritual qualities of the painting and on the ability of the artist to reveal the inner harmony of man and nature, as perceived according to
Taoist Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the ''Tao'' ...
and
Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
concepts. Artists, like
Su Shi Su Shi (; 8 January 1037 – 24 August 1101), courtesy name Zizhan (), art name Dongpo (), was a Chinese calligrapher, essayist, gastronomer, pharmacologist, poet, politician, and travel writer during the Song dynasty. A major personality of ...
used their skills in
calligraphy Calligraphy (from el, link=y, καλλιγραφία) is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "t ...
(the art of beautiful writing) to make ink paintings that expressed ideas based upon the philosophies of Chinese dynasties and Confucius. Their works also express their feelings and the inner spirit of their subject. Within a night scene, homesickness is expressed by flying birds looking to find a place to rest for the night


Han Gan, ''Night-Shining White Horse''

Han Gan created ''Night-Shining White Horse'' to dramatically capture the spirit of the imperial stallion, a symbol of China's powerfulness using only ink and paper. The stark image, without color or shading, exposes the true essence of the scene.


Ma Lin, ''Waiting for Guests by Lamplight''

''Waiting for Guests by Lamplight'' was painted in the Song Dynasty by Ma Lin, son of famous Chinese painter Ma Yuan. Using ''shi i'' (
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
: poetic ideas), Ma Lin painted the evening scene based upon a poem by Su Shi. In it, a man sits in the door of a pavilion during a full moon. A gentle mood is set by soft, low-lying fog before the mountains and crabapple trees. Leading up to the building is a line of candles specially placed near the blossoming crab apple trees - to "illuminate their beauty". The poem by 11th century poet
Su Shi Su Shi (; 8 January 1037 – 24 August 1101), courtesy name Zizhan (), art name Dongpo (), was a Chinese calligrapher, essayist, gastronomer, pharmacologist, poet, politician, and travel writer during the Song dynasty. A major personality of ...
that inspired Ma Lin is:
My fear is that in the depth of night, The flowers will fall asleep and depart. So I light the tall candles, To illuminate their beauty.


=Moon

= File:OngSchanTchowPineInMoonlight.jpg, Ong Schan Tchow, ''Pine In Moonlight'' (China) In Chinese night paintings, the moon often symbolizes loneliness of the painting's character. It also sets the mood for a romantic setting. Chinese paintings also depict
mythological Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narrat ...
characters who symbolize moonlight activity, such as
Yue-Laou Yue Lao () is a god of marriage and love in Chinese mythology. He appears as an old man under the moon. Yue Lao appears at night and "unites with a silken cord all predestined couples, after which nothing can prevent their union."Chang'e Chang'e ( ; , alternatively rendered as Chang-Er or Ch‘ang-o), originally known as Heng'e, is the Chinese goddess of the Moon. She is the subject of several legends in Chinese mythology, most of which incorporate several of the following elem ...
, the Chinese goddess of the moon.


Chang'e, goddess of the moon

''The Goddess Chang'e in the Lunar Palace'' depicts
Chang'e Chang'e ( ; , alternatively rendered as Chang-Er or Ch‘ang-o), originally known as Heng'e, is the Chinese goddess of the Moon. She is the subject of several legends in Chinese mythology, most of which incorporate several of the following elem ...
, the Chinese goddess of the moon from
Chinese mythology Chinese mythology () is mythology that has been passed down in oral form or recorded in literature in the geographic area now known as Greater China. Chinese mythology includes many varied myths from regional and cultural traditions. Much of t ...
. The late Ming dynasty fan painting shows her outside the Palace of Boundless Cold. ''Chang'e Flying to the Moon'' is a contemporary depiction of the goddess.


=Political statement

= ''Night Revels of Han Xizai'' was painted by
Gu Hongzhong Gu Hongzhong (; 937–975) was a Chinese painter during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Gu was active until 960 CEFive Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (), from 907 to 979, was an era of political upheaval and division in 10th-century Imperial China. Five dynastic states quickly succeeded one another in the Central Plain, and more than a dozen concu ...
period when dynasties replaced one another at an alarming rate. Fives vignettes are told about a party that Han Xizai, a minister of Li Yu, hosts. In the first scene (viewed from right to left), Han listens to the
pipa The pipa, pípá, or p'i-p'a () is a traditional Chinese musical instrument, belonging to the plucked category of instruments. Sometimes called the "Chinese lute", the instrument has a pear-shaped wooden body with a varying number of frets rang ...
with his guests. Then, he watches dancers, takes a rest, plays string instruments, and finally sees guests off. It is believed that this painting was made in response to a request by emperor Li Yu to Gu, following Han's declination of an offer to be Prime Minister. One interpretation is that the painting was a way of chastising Han for having a carefree nightlife rather than accepting greater political responsibility.


Japan

While paintings are generally a snapshot of a moment in time, the Japanese iji dôzu (
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
: "different time, same illustration") technique is used to is illustrate activities that occur in different periods of time. ''A Long Tale for an Autumn Night'' uses that technique through a progression of time and activities over one night. During the Autumn night a Buddhist monk and his lover experience a fearful night of a demon in initially disguised as a man, a battle, and threat of suicide - all the more sinister by the gloom of night.


=Battle

= File:Illustrated Story of Night Attack on Yoshitsune's Residence At Horikawa, 16th Century.jpg, Artist unknown, ''Illustrated Story of Night Attack on Yoshitune's Residence At Horikawa'', 16th century (Japan) File:Kunichika Toyohara - Sen Taiheiki gigokuden - Walters 95339.jpg,
Toyohara Kunichika Toyohara Kunichika ( ja, 豊原 国周; 30 June 1835 – 1 July 1900) was a ukiyo-e Japanese woodblock print artist. Talented as a child, at about thirteen he became a student of Tokyo's then-leading print maker, Utagawa Kunisada ...
, ''Sen Taiheiki gigokuden'', 1890,
Walters Art Museum The Walters Art Museum, located in Mount Vernon-Belvedere, Baltimore, Maryland, United States, is a public art museum founded and opened in 1934. It holds collections established during the mid-19th century. The museum's collection was amassed ...


=Folklore and literature

=


Ghosts and witches

File:Yoshitoshi The Ghost.jpg,
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi Tsukioka Yoshitoshi ( ja, 月岡 芳年; also named Taiso Yoshitoshi ; 30 April 1839 – 9 June 1892) was a Japanese printmaker. Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric. (2005)"Tsukoka Kōgyō"in ''Japan Encyclopedia,'' p. 1000. Yoshitoshi h ...
, ''The Ghost of Genji's Love'' based upon the book '' The Tale of Genji, 1886 File:Yoshitoshi, Oya Taro Mitsukuni.jpg, Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, ''Ōya Tarō Mitsukuni'' from the series One Hundred (Ghost) Stories from China and Japan (Wakan hyaku monogatari), 1865.


Demons and hell

File:Hyakki Yako 1.jpg,
Hyakki Yagyō ''Hyakki Yagyō'' (, "Night Parade of One Hundred Demons"), also transliterated ''Hyakki Yakō'', is an idiom in Japanese folklore. Sometimes an orderly procession, other times a riot, it refers to a parade of thousands of supernatural creature ...
, ''Night Parade With One Hundred Demons scroll'',
Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...
, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art
File:Avici hell.jpg, Artist unknown, ''Avici hell,'' 13th century (Japanese),
Tokyo National Museum The or TNM is an art museum in Ueno Park in the Taitō ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is one of the four museums operated by the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage ( :ja:国立文化財機構), is considered the oldest national museum in Japan, ...


''One Hundred Aspects of the Moon''

In the 19th century
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi Tsukioka Yoshitoshi ( ja, 月岡 芳年; also named Taiso Yoshitoshi ; 30 April 1839 – 9 June 1892) was a Japanese printmaker. Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric. (2005)"Tsukoka Kōgyō"in ''Japan Encyclopedia,'' p. 1000. Yoshitoshi h ...
made a series of 100
ukiyo-e Ukiyo-e is a genre of Japanese art which flourished from the 17th through 19th centuries. Its artists produced woodblock prints and paintings Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surfac ...
, Japanese wood block prints, called ''
One Hundred Aspects of the Moon ''One Hundred Aspects of the Moon'' or in Japanese language, Japanese is a collection of 100 Woodblock printing in Japan#Print sizes, ōban size ukiyo-e Woodblock printing in Japan, woodblock prints by Japanese artist Tsukioka Yoshitoshi printed ...
'' that introduced Japanese and Chinese folklore during a period of increasing western presence. The works captured "a moment in time and held suspended by a poetic dialogue with the moon." The moon symbolized different meanings depending upon whether it was a full moon or not. The moon's "waxing and waning", also used as the basis of the Japanese lunar calendar, could illustrate what time of the month an event occurred and an ascribe a manner in was to be interpreted, such as the character's loneliness.''One Hundred Aspects of the Moon''
/ref> File:YoshiOldwoman.jpg, Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, ''Gravemarker Moon'', 100 Aspects of the Moon #25, 3rd month of 1886 File:Yoshitoshi - Wang Changling - Tsuki hyakushi no. 54.jpg, Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, ''Wang Changling'', 100 Aspects of the Moon #54, 1887 File:Pleine lune Mushasi Yoshitoshi.jpg, Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, ''Full Moon in Mushasi'', 100 Aspects of the Moon, 1890 In ''Gravemarker Moon'', the famous poet
Ono no Komachi was a Japanese waka poet, one of the ''Rokkasen'' — the six best waka poets of the early Heian period. She was renowned for her unusual beauty, and ''Komachi'' is today a synonym for feminine beauty in Japan. She also counts among the Th ...
meditates on the arrogance and heartlessness she displayed to her suitors as a young beauty. ''Wang Changling'' is the name of the poet who wrote: "The night is still and a hundred flowers are fragrant in the western palace. She orders the screen to be rolled up, regretting the passing of spring with the Yunhe across her lap. She gazes at the moon, the colors of the trees are hazy in the indistinct moonlight."


''Tale of Genji''

File:Ch20_asago.jpg,
Tosa Mitsuoki was a Japanese painter. Tosa Mitsuoki succeeded his father, Tosa Mitsunori (1583–1638), as head of the Tosa school and brought the Tosa school to Kyoto after around 50 years in Sakai. When the school was settled in Sakai, Mitsunori painted f ...
, ''Illustration of the Tale of Genji'', late 17th century File:Brooklyn Museum - Scene from the Tale of Genji - overall.jpg, ''Scene from the Tale of Genji'', 16th century, Brooklyn Museum
''Tale of Genji'' also included ''Tale of Genji's love'', which has an illustration.


=Landscapes

= File:Snowclad houses in the night.jpg,
Yosa Buson was a Japanese poet and painter of the Edo period. Along with Matsuo Bashō and Kobayashi Issa, Buson is considered among the greatest poets of the Edo Period. He is also known for completing haiga as a style of art, working with haibun prose ...
, ''Snowclad houses in the night'', 1778 (Japan), Miho Museum of Art
File:Toyokuni II - 8 Famous Views (Meisho Hakkei), Night Rain at Oyama (Maya Mountain).jpg, Utagawa Toyokuni II, ''Night Rain,'' Maya Mountain from the 8 Famous Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers, late 18th century - early 19th century File:Hiroshige nuit de neige à Kambara.JPG, Utagawa Hiroshige, ''Nuit de neige à Kambara '' File:100 views edo 098.jpg, Utagawa Hiroshige, ''Fireworks at Ryōgoku (Ryōgoku Hanabi),
One Hundred Famous Views of Edo ''One Hundred Famous Views of Edo'' (in ja, 名所江戸百景, Meisho Edo Hyakkei) is a series of 119 ukiyo-e prints begun and largely completed by the Japanese artist Hiroshige (1797–1858). The prints were first published in serialized form i ...
#98'', 1858, Brooklyn museum File:Hiroshige Travellers on a mountain path at night.jpg, Utagawa Hiroshige, ''Travellers on a mountain path at night''
According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, ''Night Rains'', of the 8 Famous Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers, is "a venerable theme in both Chinese and Japanese painting".''Night Rain at the Double-Shelf Stand''.
New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
''Fireworks at Ryōgoku'' captures the popular summer entertainment called "taking in the cool of the evening."


=Mood setting

= File:Watanabe Shotei14.jpg, Watanabe Shōtei, ''Blue Birds at Night'', 1851-1918 File:Utagawa Yoshitaki - Night Traveler - Walters 9590.jpg, Utagawa Yoshitaki, ''Night Traveler'', circa between 1860 and 69 (late Edo),
Walters Art Museum The Walters Art Museum, located in Mount Vernon-Belvedere, Baltimore, Maryland, United States, is a public art museum founded and opened in 1934. It holds collections established during the mid-19th century. The museum's collection was amassed ...
File:Matsuke Heikichi - Nogaku zue - Walters 95249.jpg,
Kōgyo Tsukioka , sometimes called , (April 18, 1869 – February 25, 1927) was a Japanese artist of the Meiji period. He was a student and adopted son of Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, and also studied with Ogata Gekkō. Although Kōgyo sometimes painted other subject ...
, ''Nogaku zue'', 1899 (Meiji),
Walters Art Museum The Walters Art Museum, located in Mount Vernon-Belvedere, Baltimore, Maryland, United States, is a public art museum founded and opened in 1934. It holds collections established during the mid-19th century. The museum's collection was amassed ...
File:Omoda Seiju 1.jpg, Omoda Seiju, ''Yotsuyu (Night Dew)'', 1926 (Japan)


=Moon

= File:New Moon over the brushwood gate.jpg, ''New Moon over the brushwood gate'', 1405 (Japan),
National Treasure of Japan Some of the National Treasures of Japan A is the most precious of Japan's Tangible Cultural Properties, as determined and designated by the Agency for Cultural Affairs (a special body of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Scien ...
File:Nishimura Shigenaga - Four Seasons – Autumn Moon above the Reception Room.jpg, Nishimura Shigenaga, ''Four Seasons – Autumn Moon above the Reception Room,'' 1725–1730 File:Brooklyn Museum - Two Girls on the Veranda Looking at the Moon - Suzuki Harunobu.jpg, Suzuki Harunobu, ''Two Girls on the Veranda Looking at the Moon,'' 18th century, Brooklyn Museum. Hiroshige Man on horseback crossing a bridge.jpg,
Utagawa Hiroshige Utagawa Hiroshige (, also ; ja, 歌川 広重 ), born Andō Tokutarō (; 1797 – 12 October 1858), was a Japanese ''ukiyo-e'' artist, considered the last great master of that tradition. Hiroshige is best known for his horizontal-format l ...
, ''Man on horseback crossing a bridge,
The Sixty-nine Stations of the Kiso Kaidō The or ''Sixty-nine Stations of the Kiso Road'', is a series of ''ukiyo-e'' works created by Utagawa Hiroshige and Keisai Eisen. There are 71 total prints in the series (one for each of the 69 post stations and Nihonbashi; Nakatsugawa-juku has ...
''
Suzuki Harunobu made many night paintings, including ''Two Girls on the Veranda Looking at the Moon.'' Many of the settings were warm relational studies, such as ''Night Rain at the Double-Shelf Stand'' which includes a parlor scene with two young women and a boy. A soft mood is set with the presence of a tea set and portable hearth for boiling water. The Metropolitan Museum of Art states that this painting is a nod to ''Night Rains'' of 8 Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers, a painting well respected by both the Japanese and Chinese.


Korea

File:Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara.jpg, ''Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara'', first half of the 14th century,
Goryeo dynasty Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificati ...
, Korea, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York File:Landscapes in the Style of An Kyeon-Evening.Bell.from.Mist.jpg, ''Landscapes in the Style of An Kyôn: Evening Bell from Mist-Shrouded Temple and Autumn Moon over Lake Dongting,'' 15th century, Chosôn dynasty, Metropolitan Museum of Art File:Hyewon-Jeongbyeon.yahwa.jpg, Shin Yunbok, ''Chatting at a well at night'', In the late
Joseon Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
period, presumed after 1805,
Gansong Art Museum The Gansong Art Museum, located in Seongbuk-dong, Seongbuk District, Seoul, South Korea, is the first modern private museum of Korea and was founded by Jeon Hyeongpil (전형필 全鎣弼) in 1938. The museum was named after the pen name of the fo ...
in
Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
,
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
File:First Electric Light at Gyeongbok Palace 1887.png, Geumchoo Nam-ho Lee, ''First Electric Light at
Gyeongbok Palace Gyeongbokgung (), also known as Gyeongbokgung Palace or Gyeongbok Palace, was the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty. Built in 1395, it is located in northern Seoul, South Korea. The largest of the '' Five Grand Palaces'' built by the Joseo ...
'', 1887 (
Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula * Korean cuisine * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Chosŏn'gŭl **Korean dialects and the Jeju language ** ...
), Korea Electric Power Corporation File:Brooklyn Museum - Rabbits and Moon.jpg, Artist Unknown(Korean), ''Rabbits and Moon'', 19th century, Brooklyn Museum
Buddhism was an important part of Korean art since about the time of the
Unified Silla Unified Silla, or Late Silla (, ), is the name often applied to the Korean kingdom of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, after 668 CE. In the 7th century, a Silla–Tang alliance conquered Baekje and the southern part of Goguryeo in the ...
period when there was a desire to be open to other religions. This resulted in the use of Buddhist themes in art work and the creation of Buddhist temples. In the 14th century, a work was made of ''Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara'', a compassionate and wise bodhisattva who wears a halo as a sign of his divinity and has waves of water splashing his feet. A legendary hare stands under a cassia tree in the moon creating the elixir of immortality.


South Asian art


India

For traditional art, there is little difference between the way night and day are illustrated and the colors that are used. For instance in early Rajput (also called Rajasthani) paintings, the only way to read that the painting is a night scene is through the presence of torches or candles. Later in the Rajput period, both somewhat influenced by Western art, night scenes were painted dramatically with shadows and
Mughal paintings Mughal painting is a style of painting on paper confined to miniatures either as book illustrations or as single works to be kept in albums (muraqqa), from the territory of the Mughal Empire in South Asia. It emerged from Persian miniature paint ...
used
chiaroscuro Chiaroscuro ( , ; ), in art, is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. It is also a technical term used by artists and art historians for the use of contrasts of light to achi ...
for shading.Coomaraswamy, Ananda K. (2003). ''History of Indian and Indonesian Art''. Kessinger Publishing. pp. 128, 131. . Although there are a number of schools that taught painting during India's history, there is great similarity among them to evoke charming, romantic scenes. The scenes may include moonlight or lanterns to set an amorous mood. Such was the case for 19th century artist, Chokha, who enjoyed making night paintings like ''Escapade at Night: A Nobleman Climbs a Rope to Visit his Lover.'' In that painting Chokha captures the tension of lover climbing several stories into a house with many people and a sleeping guard. Chokha also liked to capture twilight hunting scenes. He astutely conveyed the effects of lighting variation between twilight and the darkest night. ''Rao Bhoj Singh Stalking a Tiger at Night'' is a painting attributed to the Hada Master of the Kota school. In this case the dark is used for dramatic impact. It provides a dark backdrop to the bright figures of the treed hunting party, riled tiger and battered cow that was used as a lure.


=Romantic scenes

= File:Love Scene Central India (Malwa).jpg, Artist Unknown, ''Love Scene Central India'', 1660-1680,
Brooklyn Museum The Brooklyn Museum is an art museum located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. At , the museum is New York City's second largest and contains an art collection with around 1.5 million objects. Located near the Prospect Heights, Crown H ...
File:Brooklyn Museum - Lovers on a Moonlit Night.jpg, Artist Unknown, ''Lovers on a Moonlit Night'', circa 1775 (India),
Brooklyn Museum The Brooklyn Museum is an art museum located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. At , the museum is New York City's second largest and contains an art collection with around 1.5 million objects. Located near the Prospect Heights, Crown H ...
File:Bazrupmati.jpg, (Murshidabad) style, ''Baz Bahadur and Rupmati'', c. 1760, India Office Library
''Baz Bahadur and Rupmati'' (not shown) depicts mistress Rupmati and Muslim ruler Baz Bahadur. The scene is illuminated from the moon on the horizon.


Southeast Asian art


Cambodia

File:Wat mural.jpg, ''Wat Mural'', 1903-1904, Phnom Penh's Silver Pagoda File:Reamkermural1.JPG, ''Reamker mural'', Cambodia File:Khmer Painting at Wat Phnom.JPG, ''Khmer painting,'' Wat Phnom Cambodian paintings often took the form of
mural A mural is any piece of graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage. Word mural in art The word ''mural'' is a Spani ...
s, and have religious significance. Before 1200, art in the temples mostly portrayed scenes from the Hindu pantheon; after 1200, Buddhist scenes began to appear as standard motifs. Its art was heavily influenced by the artistry of India.Le May, Reginald. (1962). ''A Concise History of Buddhist Art in Siam.'' Tuttle Publishing. (2nd edition). p. 1. .


Laos

File:Bodhisatta Gautama with bowl.jpg, ''Bodhisattva Siddhartha Gautama with bowl'', date unknown, Laotian monastery


Thailand

File:Wat Pho Chai mural, Bangkok, Thailand - 20101028.jpg,
Wat Pho Wat Pho ( th, วัดโพธิ์, ), also spelled Wat Po, is a Buddhism, Buddhist temple complex in the Phra Nakhon, Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok, Thailand. It is on Rattanakosin Island, directly south of the Grand Palace, Bangkok, Grand P ...
Chai mural, Bangkok, Thailand File:Hanuman1.jpg, ''Hanuman'', mural painting, Wat Phra Kaeo, Bangkok


West Asian art


Persia

File:The poet Sa'di converses by night with a young friend in a garden. Miniature from Gulistan Sa'di. Herat, 1427. Chester Beatty Library, Dublin. f.3r.jpg, ''The poet Sa'di converses by night with a young friend in a garden'' (
Gulistan of Sa'di ''Gulistān'' ( fa, گُلِستان, Golestān, The Flower Garden; ), sometimes spelled Golestan, is a landmark of Persian literature, perhaps its single most influential work of prose. Written in 1258 CE, it is one of two major works of the P ...
miniature), 1427 (Persia), Chester Beatty Library, Dublin. File:Shams ud-Din Tabriz 1502-1504 BNF Paris.jpg, A page of a copy circa 1503 of the ''Dīvān-e Šams-e Tabrīzī''. See:
Rumi ghazal 163 Rumi's ghazal 163, which begins "Go, my friends", is a well known Persian ghazal (love poem) of seven verses by the 13th-century poet Jalal-ed-Din Rumi (usually known in Iran as Mowlavi or Mowlana). The poem is said to have been written by Rumi ab ...
. The lower half is night.


By religion


Buddhism

File:Brooklyn Museum - Amitabha Buddha Triad.jpg, ''Amitabha Buddha Triad,'' ca. 16th century.
Hanging scroll A hanging scroll is one of the many traditional ways to display and exhibit East Asian painting and calligraphy. The hanging scroll was displayed in a room for appreciation; it is to be distinguished from the handscroll, which was narrower and ...
, Brooklyn Museum File:Joseon-Brahma-Peomcheon.jpg, ''Brahma with Attendants and Musicians'' (Pômch’ôn), 16th century, Joseon dynasty, Korea, Metropolitan Museum of Art File:Okabe - The cat witch.jpg,
Utagawa Kuniyoshi Utagawa Kuniyoshi ( ja, 歌川 国芳, ; January 1, 1798 – April 14, 1861) was one of the last great masters of the Japanese ukiyo-e style of woodblock prints and painting.Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric ''et al'' (2005). "Kuniyoshi" in He was a ...
, ''Okabe'', c. 1844. File:Yoshitoshi - 100 Aspects of the Moon - 93.jpg,
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi Tsukioka Yoshitoshi ( ja, 月岡 芳年; also named Taiso Yoshitoshi ; 30 April 1839 – 9 June 1892) was a Japanese printmaker. Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric. (2005)"Tsukoka Kōgyō"in ''Japan Encyclopedia,'' p. 1000. Yoshitoshi h ...
, ''A Buddhist monk receives cassia seeds on a moonlit night'' or ''Bonso tsukiyo ni keishi o uku'', from ''100 Aspects of the Moon,'' before 1892 File:Buddhist-hell-Thailand-3.jpg, ''Mural on a Buddhist temple'', date unknown, northern Thailand
''Brahma with Attendants and Musicians'' depicts a
Brahma Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
(
Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula * Korean cuisine * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Chosŏn'gŭl **Korean dialects and the Jeju language ** ...
: Beomcheon) heaven scene which was painted during the early Joseon dynasty in Korea. Brahma, a Hindu deity, also became part of the Buddhist religion and protected the Buddhist teaching. The heavenly scene is includes musicians with flutes, violins, lutes and other instruments.''Brahma with Attendants and Musicians''.
Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
Smith, author of ''Arts in Korea'', writes: "His abode, the Brahma heaven, was construed as a place of pleasure, populated with heroes, entertainers and musicians." The work, replete with evidence of grandeur, includes two figures who represent the moon and sun.
Utagawa Kuniyoshi Utagawa Kuniyoshi ( ja, 歌川 国芳, ; January 1, 1798 – April 14, 1861) was one of the last great masters of the Japanese ukiyo-e style of woodblock prints and painting.Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric ''et al'' (2005). "Kuniyoshi" in He was a ...
made ''Okabe'' about 1844 which depicts the death of Buddha. In recounting the death of Buddha, cats are supposed to be the only animals that not to weep. In Kuniyoshi's time, it was believed that when a girl visited a temple after dark, she took the risk of being greeted by an old woman who would offer her to stay the night. Once inside the house, the old woman would become a witch and devour her. Therefore, a cat around temples could be the witch in a cat form.


Islamic


Muhammad's night ride

File:Muhammad during the Mi'raj - from Jami al-Tawarikh.jpg,
Rashid-al-Din Hamadani Rashīd al-Dīn Ṭabīb ( fa, رشیدالدین طبیب;‎ 1247–1318; also known as Rashīd al-Dīn Faḍlullāh Hamadānī, fa, links=no, رشیدالدین فضل‌الله همدانی) was a statesman, historian and physician in Ilk ...
, ''Night Ride'', c 1315 (Persian),
Edinburgh University Library Edinburgh University Library is the main library of the University of Edinburgh and one of the most important libraries of Scotland. The University Library was moved in 1827 to William Playfair's Upper Library in the Old College building. The ...
File:Muhammad 1514.jpg, Artist Unknown, ''The Night Journey of Muhammad on His Steed'', 1514 (Persia), Bukhara, Uzbekistan File:Miraj by Sultan Muhammad.jpg,
Nizami Ganjavi Nizami Ganjavi ( fa, نظامی گنجوی, lit=Niẓāmī of Ganja, translit=Niẓāmī Ganjavī; c. 1141–1209), Nizami Ganje'i, Nizami, or Nezāmi, whose formal name was ''Jamal ad-Dīn Abū Muḥammad Ilyās ibn-Yūsuf ibn-Zakkī'',Mo'in, ...
, ''The Ascent of Muhammad to Heaven on his steed Buraq, guided by Gabriel and escorted by angels.'', 1539-43 (Persia
Safavid dynasty The Safavid dynasty (; fa, دودمان صفوی, Dudmâne Safavi, ) was one of Iran's most significant ruling dynasties reigning from 1501 to 1736. Their rule is often considered the beginning of modern Iranian history, as well as one of th ...
),
British Library The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and is one of the largest libraries in the world. It is estimated to contain between 170 and 200 million items from many countries. As a legal deposit library, the British ...
File:Mohammed Splits the Moon.jpg, Artist unknown, ''Mohammed Splits the Moon'', 16th century (Persia,
Safavid dynasty The Safavid dynasty (; fa, دودمان صفوی, Dudmâne Safavi, ) was one of Iran's most significant ruling dynasties reigning from 1501 to 1736. Their rule is often considered the beginning of modern Iranian history, as well as one of th ...
), Saxon State Library, Dresden, Germany.


Other Islamic scenes

File:Babur-drunken.jpg,
Farrukh Beg Farrukh Beg ( Persian: فرخ بیگ) (ca. 1547), also known as Farrukh Husayn, was a Persian miniature painter, who spent a bulk of his career in Safavid Iran and Mughal India, praised by Mughal Emperor Jahangir as “unrivaled in the age.” ...
, ''A Drunken Babur Returns to Camp at Night after a boating party in celebration of the end of Ramadan ('id) in 1519'', 1589 (Pakistan, Mughal), Lahore, Pakistan File:IbrahimIbnAdham 24563.jpg, ''Ibrahim ibn Adham visited by Angels'', 18th Century (Middle East, Mughal miniature), Mughal Islamic art collection


Jainism

File:Kevalajnana.jpg, ''Kevala Jñāna of Mahavira'' The painting ''Vigil on the Sixth Night after Mahavira's Birth'' depicts four women celebrating the birth of
Mahavira Mahavira (Sanskrit: महावीर) also known as Vardhaman, was the 24th ''tirthankara'' (supreme preacher) of Jainism. He was the spiritual successor of the 23rd ''tirthankara'' Parshvanatha. Mahavira was born in the early part of the 6t ...
's (599-527 BC) birth.''Night Vigil for Mahavira's Birth: Folio from a Kalpasutra Manuscript.''
Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved 30 August 2012.


Gallery

File:Nuit pluvieuse Karasaki Hoeido Eikyudo.jpg, Hoeido et Eikyudo, ''Rainy night in Karasaki'' File:Nissaka Man receiving a child fron a ghost.jpg,
Utagawa Kuniyoshi Utagawa Kuniyoshi ( ja, 歌川 国芳, ; January 1, 1798 – April 14, 1861) was one of the last great masters of the Japanese ukiyo-e style of woodblock prints and painting.Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric ''et al'' (2005). "Kuniyoshi" in He was a ...
, ''Nissaka'', c. 1844 File:Matsuke Heikichi - Nogaku zue - Walters 95269.jpg,
Kōgyo Tsukioka , sometimes called , (April 18, 1869 – February 25, 1927) was a Japanese artist of the Meiji period. He was a student and adopted son of Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, and also studied with Ogata Gekkō. Although Kōgyo sometimes painted other subject ...
, ''Nogaku zue'', 1899 (Meiji),
Walters Art Museum The Walters Art Museum, located in Mount Vernon-Belvedere, Baltimore, Maryland, United States, is a public art museum founded and opened in 1934. It holds collections established during the mid-19th century. The museum's collection was amassed ...


See also

*
History of Asian art The history of Asian art includes a vast range of arts from various cultures, regions, and religions across the continent of Asia. The major regions of Asia include Central, East, South, Southeast, and West Asia. Central Asian art primarily c ...
*
History of painting The history of painting reaches back in time to artifacts and artwork created by pre-historic artists, and spans all cultures. It represents a continuous, though periodically disrupted, tradition from Antiquity. Across cultures, continents, and ...
*
Night photography Night photography (also called nighttime photography) refers to the activity of capturing images outdoors at night, between dusk and dawn. Night photographers generally have a choice between using artificial lighting and using a long exposur ...


Notes


References


Further reading

* Bonnefoy, Yves (compiled) and Wendy Doniger (translator). (1993). ''Asian Mythologies.'' University of Chicago Press. . * Ebrey, Patricia Buckley (1999). ''The Cambridge Illustrated History of China''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (paperback). * Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Hokusai Katsushika; Kojiro Tomita. (1957). ''Day and night in the four seasons.'' Volume 14 of Picture book series. Museum of Fine Arts.


External links

{{commons category, Night in paintings Painting Night in culture Asian art Moon in art