Visual Image of the Ainu in Paintings and Engravings of the 16th – Early 19th Centuries: Historical and Ethnographic Source or Artist’s Imagination?

Abstract

The article examines the main visual sources of the 16th – early 19th centuries, in which the images of the Ainu were introduced. The silk and paper scrolls, engravings in the books always attracted attention to the Ainu theme. Many issues in the ethnic history and physical anthropological type of the people, as well as the origins of their ornaments and tattoos remain debatable. The portraits of the Ainu that appeared during the Edo period, made by Japanese, Russian, and European artists and engravers, contributed to the spread of knowledge about this people. However, these visual images often reflected the artist’s subjective, often politically biased, views of the object. Despite this fact, one can get a certain idea of the Ainu appearance and the features of their material and spiritual culture by studying these canvases, engravings and illustrations. The purpose of this article is to consider the possibility of using pieces of art as a historical and ethnographic source.