Cultural Narrative Characteristics

I believe that there are many things that words can’t describe such as our individual feelings, the vibe of the environment that we are in, and the rush of emotion at that given moment. I believe that this is where the “magic” of art comes into play. The various media can provide a way for individuals to express sentiments, relay experiences and narrate stories that are otherwise hard to communicate through words. For this assignment I chose two art works that embodied great cultural narrative characteristics: “Virgin/Vessel” by the Chinese artist, Hung Liu (Sayre 72) and “The Fickle Type” from the series “Ten Physiognomies of Women” by the famous Japanese artist, Kitagawa Utamaro (Sayre 204). The subject matter for Liu’s painting is an upper class Chinese woman. The artwork is done in black and white, with a pop of bold red in the center and some subtle brown color at the sides. The painting is representational as its form

Geishas were considered as entertainers or artists who were trained in various forms of art such as music and dancing (“History of Geisha in Japanese Culture”). Geishas were invited to serve their patrons, mostly wealthy men, at banquets or parties, during meals at a teahouse and other special occasions (Adalid n.p.). Geishas were not courtesans, but were regarded as artisans, thus they were highly coveted by men. The artist cleanly depicts the sexual elegance of a geisha with simpler and minimal detail. Kitagawa successfully incorporated the popular fashions that were common during the Edo period, such as the chinon-like shimada hairstyle, the tiny lip, straight eyebrows and elaborate kimono (“Hairstyles”). Unlike Liu’s sad depiction of a Chinese courtesan, Kitagawa’s geisha exudes confidence and coyness. This is because they were highly regarded in the society and weren’t frowned upon. Overall, the concept is light with a touch of