Iconography of Japanese Performative Arts
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The teaching aims to offer to the students reading and comprehension tools of the music, theatre and more in general of the Japanese performative arts world through their visual representations. Considering the strong influence that Japanese culture and its philosophy had and continue to have on Western thought and artistic production, the course will identify the main categories of performative arts and their characteristics (aesthetic concepts and symbolic values linked to gesture, space, costumes, stage objects) by analyzing artistic and historical materials and assimilating the specific terminology. Students will reach the capacity to identify the several forms of performative arts and their main iconographic materials, and the acquaintance of basic aesthetic concepts useful for a better understanding of Western music and theatre developments and productions contaminated by Japanese performing arts.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge of the principal forms of performative arts of Japan and their main characteristics; capacity of analysis of iconographic references and acquaintance with an adequate Japanese/English terminology in the field.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Part A (20 hours, 3 cfu)
Introduction to the several forms of classic performative arts: nō and kyōgen theatre, kabuki theatre, bunralu theatre through their artistic representations, from painting to applied arts, cinema and architecture.
Part B (20 hours, 3 cfu)
Introduction to the several forms of modern and contemporary performative arts through their artistic representations: bunraku (Sugimoto Hiroshi and Takeshi Kitano); butō (Eiko Hosoe), Nō (Tanaka Ikkō), contemporary experiences.
Introduction to the several forms of classic performative arts: nō and kyōgen theatre, kabuki theatre, bunralu theatre through their artistic representations, from painting to applied arts, cinema and architecture.
Part B (20 hours, 3 cfu)
Introduction to the several forms of modern and contemporary performative arts through their artistic representations: bunraku (Sugimoto Hiroshi and Takeshi Kitano); butō (Eiko Hosoe), Nō (Tanaka Ikkō), contemporary experiences.
Prerequisites for admission
Capacity to read and study texts in English. Interest and capacity to assimilate also basic words of this field in Japanese/Chinese languages.
Teaching methods
Lectures with the use of projections in PPT and videos. When possibile lessosn could be integrated with lectures held at Oriental Art Museums in Italy and/or in temporary exhibitions during the period of the courses. Also seminars with curators, artists will be proposed. Calendar and details of activities will be published during the course online and through advises on MyAriel.
Teaching Resources
Giovanni Azzaroni, Matteo Casari, Asia: il teatro che danza : storia, forme, temi, Le lettere, Firenze 2011.
Bonaventura Ruperti, Storia del teatro giapponese. Dalle origini all'Ottocento, Marsilio, 2015
Bonaventura Ruperti, Storia del teatro giapponese. Dall'Ottocento al Duemila, Marsilio, 2016
or
Jonah Salz, A history of Japanese theatre, Cambridge : Cambridge University Press 2016
Texts on Aesthetics:
Kuki Shuzō , La struttura dell'iki, Adelphi, 1992 (4° ediz.)
Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, Libro d'ombra (a cura di G. Mariotti), Bompiani, Milano 2000
Atti Aistugia, Venezia 2020, Arti e Spettacolo:
file:///Users/rossellamenegazzo/Downloads/AISTUGIA%20VENEZIA%201-12-2020%20con%20COPERTINA.pdf
On Theatre nō:
René Sieffert ( a cura di), Il segreto del teatro Nō / Zeami Motokiyo, Adelphi, 1996
https://minerva.unimi.it/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=alma991008603049706031&context=L&vid=39UMI_INST:VU1&lang=it&search_scope=MyInst_and_CI&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=Everything&query=any,contains,zeami&offset=0
Performance of kyōgen and nō with English subtitles:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDS2Rub--RE
On kabuki:
Julius Kurth, Sharaku, Munchen : R. Piper & Co., 1922 (catalogue available at the Biblioteca in via Noto 6)
Tokyo Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan (edited by), "Sharaku", Tokyo : Tokyo Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan, 2011 (catalogue available at the Biblioteca in via Noto 6)
On Butō and Nō:
TDR, Volume 44, Number 1 (T 165), Spring 2000, The MIT Press
https://muse-jhu-edu.pros1.lib.unimi.it/article/32985/pdf
On nō theatre with master Udaka Michishige:
- Behind the mask of the oldest surviving art
https://youtu.be/gsa2GpIWKKQ
- The Spirit of Noh
https://youtu.be/108d4KnZPxo
Complete video on Nō theatre:
- Okina
https://youtu.be/suLWtpL-QNU
- Matsukaze
https://youtu.be/F7KW11yFxok
- Tsuchigumo
https://youtu.be/nm2-7G6YMsc
Bonaventura Ruperti, Storia del teatro giapponese. Dalle origini all'Ottocento, Marsilio, 2015
Bonaventura Ruperti, Storia del teatro giapponese. Dall'Ottocento al Duemila, Marsilio, 2016
or
Jonah Salz, A history of Japanese theatre, Cambridge : Cambridge University Press 2016
Texts on Aesthetics:
Kuki Shuzō , La struttura dell'iki, Adelphi, 1992 (4° ediz.)
Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, Libro d'ombra (a cura di G. Mariotti), Bompiani, Milano 2000
Atti Aistugia, Venezia 2020, Arti e Spettacolo:
file:///Users/rossellamenegazzo/Downloads/AISTUGIA%20VENEZIA%201-12-2020%20con%20COPERTINA.pdf
On Theatre nō:
René Sieffert ( a cura di), Il segreto del teatro Nō / Zeami Motokiyo, Adelphi, 1996
https://minerva.unimi.it/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=alma991008603049706031&context=L&vid=39UMI_INST:VU1&lang=it&search_scope=MyInst_and_CI&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=Everything&query=any,contains,zeami&offset=0
Performance of kyōgen and nō with English subtitles:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDS2Rub--RE
On kabuki:
Julius Kurth, Sharaku, Munchen : R. Piper & Co., 1922 (catalogue available at the Biblioteca in via Noto 6)
Tokyo Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan (edited by), "Sharaku", Tokyo : Tokyo Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan, 2011 (catalogue available at the Biblioteca in via Noto 6)
On Butō and Nō:
TDR, Volume 44, Number 1 (T 165), Spring 2000, The MIT Press
https://muse-jhu-edu.pros1.lib.unimi.it/article/32985/pdf
On nō theatre with master Udaka Michishige:
- Behind the mask of the oldest surviving art
https://youtu.be/gsa2GpIWKKQ
- The Spirit of Noh
https://youtu.be/108d4KnZPxo
Complete video on Nō theatre:
- Okina
https://youtu.be/suLWtpL-QNU
- Matsukaze
https://youtu.be/F7KW11yFxok
- Tsuchigumo
https://youtu.be/nm2-7G6YMsc
Assessment methods and Criteria
Oral exam. Student is asked to present a subject among those treated during the course explaining the bibliographic references. Other questions from the teacher will aim to ascertain the comprehension of the concepts and the knowledge of the specific language, the main forms of performative arts in Japan and their characteristics. The exam is valued with a mark out of thirty at the end of the discussion with immediate approval.
L-OR/20 - EAST ASIAN ARCHAEOLOGY, ART HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor:
Menegazzo Rossella
Professor(s)
Reception:
on appointment