In the Japan art world at the end of the 19th century, Koyama Shyotaro and
Okakura Tensin had a hearted argument about whether calligraphy could be included
in the art field or not. However there was serious antagonism between the East
and the West in the art world at that time; The emergence of ultranationalism and
the resistance of Western artists against it were quite complicated in the art
history. It is noteworthy in the art history that the argument did not simply related
to the artistic value of calligraphy. That was why the art concept was not clearly
defined at that time. The review of calligraphy essence based on the fact will be
able to suggest remarkably to establish the direction of calligraphy education in
the school education and also give us a proper clue to review the acceptance,
establishment or change of the modern western art in the East.
As a result, this paper shows the followings are required through the argument
of Koyama(who tried to express Western artists's position) and the argument of
Okakura(who tried to realize the Oriental art concept) at the time when art
viewpoint as well as art title was confused: artistic universality and peculiarity of
calligraphy, and scientific investigation and definite theory investigation in the
artistic value of calligraphy.
The art controversy related to calligraphy relates to both calligraphy and art,
and it is in progress.