Post by Teruha on Nov 17, 2008 19:57:22 GMT -5
This is information I found on Second Life. I have no reason to doubt its authenticity.
Ikebana, the Japanese Art of Flower Arrangement
Overview
A traditional art of Japan, Ikebana has been practiced for more than 600 years. This art of flower arrangement is different from the western type of gathering blooms of flowers, and goes beyond placing flowers in a container. Ikebana is known for its simplicity and incorporation of lines and colors. The use of asymmetry and empty space are part of each piece. Ikebana represents the beauty of nature and the harmonious combination of the natural and the humane.
Brief History
The art of Ikebana has been practiced for more than 600 years. Its origins can be traced back to the Buddhist ritual of offering flowers to the spirits of the dead. Eventually, around 10th century AD, flower arrangements for the living became more popular. By the middle of the 15th century AD, several styles had evolved, and Ikebana had become an art form independent from its religious beginnings.
Materials
Any plant material may be used in the creation of Ikebana. Buds, withered leaves and seed pods, are used as often as grasses, moss, branches, leaves and blossoms. Arrangers seek to combine the materials to create a kind of beauty that can’t be found in nature. This is created by blending color combinations, the beauty of nature, shapes and lines to form pieces of art.
Some Styles of Ikebana
Rikka Style
The Rikka style of Ikebana is the most formal, and is used primarily with ceremonies and in castles. There are a series of complicated rules associated with this form of Ikebana. Artists using this style sought to make a symbolic representation of the cosmos by using plant materials.
Nageire Style
The Nageire (thrown in) style represents the natural beauty of flowers. This style became popular with the non-nobility and ordinary people as it did not have the complicated rules of the Rikka style. Nageire style flower arrangements were often used to decorate tea rooms.
Shoka Style
The Shoka (living flower) style is a combination of Rikka and Nageire Ikebana. These are smaller than Rikka style, more stylized than Nageire style, and are suitable for domestic display. They often illustrate the process of plant growth.
Numerous other styles evolved including Moribana, which featured less stringent rules than Shoka. Jiyuka is a freer style of Moribana, and is more an expression of the artist’s emotion than a representation of natural beauty.
Conclusion
As time progressed, even more styles evolved, and more than 2,000 schools developed in Japan. This art is practiced by men and women alike, and at all levels of society.
Ikebana, the Japanese Art of Flower Arrangement
Overview
A traditional art of Japan, Ikebana has been practiced for more than 600 years. This art of flower arrangement is different from the western type of gathering blooms of flowers, and goes beyond placing flowers in a container. Ikebana is known for its simplicity and incorporation of lines and colors. The use of asymmetry and empty space are part of each piece. Ikebana represents the beauty of nature and the harmonious combination of the natural and the humane.
Brief History
The art of Ikebana has been practiced for more than 600 years. Its origins can be traced back to the Buddhist ritual of offering flowers to the spirits of the dead. Eventually, around 10th century AD, flower arrangements for the living became more popular. By the middle of the 15th century AD, several styles had evolved, and Ikebana had become an art form independent from its religious beginnings.
Materials
Any plant material may be used in the creation of Ikebana. Buds, withered leaves and seed pods, are used as often as grasses, moss, branches, leaves and blossoms. Arrangers seek to combine the materials to create a kind of beauty that can’t be found in nature. This is created by blending color combinations, the beauty of nature, shapes and lines to form pieces of art.
Some Styles of Ikebana
Rikka Style
The Rikka style of Ikebana is the most formal, and is used primarily with ceremonies and in castles. There are a series of complicated rules associated with this form of Ikebana. Artists using this style sought to make a symbolic representation of the cosmos by using plant materials.
Nageire Style
The Nageire (thrown in) style represents the natural beauty of flowers. This style became popular with the non-nobility and ordinary people as it did not have the complicated rules of the Rikka style. Nageire style flower arrangements were often used to decorate tea rooms.
Shoka Style
The Shoka (living flower) style is a combination of Rikka and Nageire Ikebana. These are smaller than Rikka style, more stylized than Nageire style, and are suitable for domestic display. They often illustrate the process of plant growth.
Numerous other styles evolved including Moribana, which featured less stringent rules than Shoka. Jiyuka is a freer style of Moribana, and is more an expression of the artist’s emotion than a representation of natural beauty.
Conclusion
As time progressed, even more styles evolved, and more than 2,000 schools developed in Japan. This art is practiced by men and women alike, and at all levels of society.
