Traditional Japanese Interiors
To read In Praise of Shadows by Junichiro Tanizaki published by London: Vintage (read at least pages 21-32) ‘The essay forms a […] description of the collision between the shadows of traditional Japanese interiors and the dazzling light of the modern age’ (cover text). Questions:
1. What negative effects does the author believe the introduction of electric lighting had on traditional Japanese interiors? (250 words)
Electric lighting masked the Japanese beauty. The author noted that “…only in dim half-light is the true beauty of Japanese lacquerware revealed”. Dim light created shadows that enhanced the beauty of the lacquerware and this meant the use of brighter electric lamps did not create this effect. Though electric lights were brighter, the way people preferred them, they did not enhance the beauty of room rooms at Waranjira whose “ceilings glowed with a faint smoky luster”. The rooms appeared wider and had rich depth under dim candlelights. This effect was lost in the use of electric lighting because the shadows that achieved this effect were not created.
According to the author, there was a kind of emotional satisfaction with appreciating the beauty of the Japanese lacquerware that was only perceived in the presence of the dim candlelights but was ironically extinguished by electric lights. The new electric lights were for functional purposes of lights but were devoid of ancient beauty that could only be gazed at in shadows created by the dim light. Electric lights did not render the pitch dark and shadows that were created with a “single lantern or candle”. Thus, electric lights made people forget intricate and innovative beauty that was discovered by ancestors and passed on through generations as people focused on other things but the rich lacquer. Candles and lanterns accentuated even depths of bowls but this was lost when electric lights were used in Waranjira. There were other effects such as an “inexpressible aura of depth and mystery” that were lost when brighter electric lights were introduced. Electric lights stole the natural and mysterious world of beauty of lacquerware, such as the decoration of gold whose beauty was only seen in darkness.
2. How has man-made light (firelight, candles, lamps (oil, gas), electric) changed how people live their lives in different periods of history? (250 words)
Manmade and electricity changed how people lived in several ways throughout different phases of history. Manmade lights such as firelights and candles were associated with indoor lifestyles where people spent most of their time doing their chores and in the process discovered how shadows from dim lights enhanced the beauty of lacquerware. This has since changed in the modern world where the lives of people have been influenced by the use of electricity in lighting interior and outdoor spaces.
The author also noted that other than the beauty of lacquerware, cooking, and consumption was also enhanced by shadows in the past. There is a kind of emotional attachment to the consumption of certain meals in the olden Japanese days and in dark rooms. There were certain foods such as raw fish, pickles, and greens that were associated with this period a lot has since changed. Cooking depended on and was inseparable from darkness. The nature of the houses at that time did not allow much light but this has since changed where western styles of architecture used massive roofs that allowed in much light.
Manmade light made meetings and interactions in these rooms more convenient than they did in dark rooms. This quotation means that people started associating with friends rather than before when this was mostly an affair of family meetings. What can be done conveniently in different manmade light-influenced activities depending on what was used at that time? Beauty was of the essence during that time when candlelight was the only source of light available but it limited several activities. With new sources, more was done like dining outdoors and exploration of new forms of beauty like paintings.
3. Consider how lighting, both natural and artificial, is used in different ways in interior spaces. Which everyday live/work activities require different levels of light or dark? How is lighting used to create atmosphere or mood, eg. for social events, festivals, and other celebrations? (250 words0
Natural light is desired not just because of the creation of a connection with nature but also because it is a free source of light. Such light sources are common and desirable in living rooms where large transparent windows would be used. Natural light is used to enhance nature and the expansiveness of space. Artificial light is common at night and when an activity needing keenness is needed. Natural light is used to increase the productivity of occupants and to stimulate the mind and visual senses.
For example, in industries, where natural light cannot be enough due to shadows created by machines, artificial light would be needed for workers to see details of work to be done. A case where light is needed is in photography and broadcasting studios in television stations where clear images are desired by viewers. Delicate works such as medical services such as dentistry and operating rooms and labs need light for keen details. However, details tend to be better under natural light.
Light overcast can be used to create mood space. Lights can also be used to achieve neutral, dramatic, or serious and strong or emotional lighting. This can be due to increased or increased intensity and angle at which they are set. These moods are especially useful in photography. In the house, low intensity and soft light can be used to enhance the mood of relaxation especially when low intensity and shadowy light is used. Dunham
