Art from Keio's Faculty of Science and Technology Cultivating artistic observation

Interpretation of Art from Diversified Viewpoints with an “Artwork First” Lens of Observation and Intuition: Placing the Artwork itself as the Center

A look at the work of a world-renowned scholar of the art of the Italian Renaissance

In February of 2022 with the COVID-19 pandemic still raging, Araki woke up to an email from Italy in her inbox. Still groggy and thinking it was spam, she was about to delete it when she read, “Your work has been nominated for the Premio Daria Borghese. Should you be selected for this prize, would you be available to attend the award ceremony in Rome this May?”
The Premio Daria Borghese, first awarded in 1965, is a prestigious prize for works on Rome carried out by international scholars. In the star-studded list of scholars who have received this honor, Araki is still at the beginning of her career and is the first person from an Asian country to ever be awarded this prize.
Araki was nominated for the book Le Cappelle Bufalini e Carafa, a collection of her achievements including studies from her doctoral thesis that she submitted at the Sapienza University of Rome. The book was published by Campisano Editore in 2019. Araki still does not know who nominated her for this award, but she suspects that the presence of her book in library collections around the world at prestigious universities, research centers and institutes worked in her favor.

Araki traveled across Italy while she was staying in Rome in order to see the various mural paintings decorating the churches and cathedrals. She described how as she pondered the paintings in these spaces—ones separated from the realm of everyday affairs—she began to feel as if they were speaking to her. The following are a few examples of Araki’s achievements, published in her aforementioned book.

1. Project to decorate the walls of the Sistine Chapel frescoes in the 15th century
The Sistine Chapel in the Vatican is best known for its 16th-century masterpieces by the great master, Michelangelo, namely the fresco ceiling, centered on the Genesis and the Final Judgement, which covers the altar wall. However, not so many people recognize frescoes depicting the Stories of Moses and Stories of Jesus on the side walls of the chapel painted by the four influential painters of the 15th century. One of these artists invited by the Pope to paint the Sistine Chapel was Sandro Botticelli, a painter whose work remains popular amongst art lovers even in Japan. The generally accepted hypothesis on the chronological order of the production of the frescoes is that the four masters discussed the subjects and motifs that should be painted on the walls and how they should be depicted. Then they made “agreements” about working procedures and instructed their own groups of apprentices to produce the frescoes.
However, to challenge pieces of this conventional wisdom, Araki suggested that instead of all the apprentices working together on paintings one at a time under a master painter, it is possible that the masters worked on the Stories of Jesus while the apprentices were assigned to paint the Stories of Moses. She also pointed out that Botticelli’s paintings work as an antithesis to those of Pietro Perugino, one of the other masters assigned to the Sistine Chapel. Extreme human poses, which Botticelli depicted, and his dynamic style illustrate the challenge presented at the time for the master painters to express their individuality while still remaining within the constraints of their “agreements.” Few art historians had broached the topic of how the frescoes demonstrated competing attitudes during the construction of the Sistine Chapel in the 15th century, and Araki’s hypothesis quickly gained recognition in the field.

2. Frescoes in the Bufalini Chapel and the Carafa Chapel
After the completion of the Sistine frescoes, Pinturicchio, one of Perugino’s apprentices went on to decorate the walls of the Bufalini Chapel. Shortly thereafter Filippino Lippi, one of Botticelli’s apprentices was commissioned to paint the Carafa Chapel. Araki noticed that the frescoes were strikingly similar and decided to investigate why. Through an in-depth comparison of the two frescoes, she suggested that Filippino had wholly referred to the Bufalini Chapel when he painted the Carafa Chapel. She also delved into the cultural background that informed the visual analogies between the chapels, and she discovered that this fact reflected the competition between the two rival mendicant orders in power in Italy at the time, the Franciscans and the Dominicans. Other scholars praised Araki’s scholarship for being the first to identify this aspect of the relationship between these two chapels.

Araki begins her research first and foremost by engaging with the artwork in question. The artwork is the “main character” of her research, and her role is to listen to what it is saying, leaving aside as many preconceptions as possible while making her observations.
From this starting point, she will begin to apply multiple methodologies appropriate to the artwork currently being discussed from stylistic analysis to iconographic interpretation, to the examination of the historical context. Through these processes, the way in which people at the time accepted and perceived the glorious Renaissance frescoes, and the whole “picture” of them, will be revealed.
For example, Araki discovered vital information that would become a central piece of evidence in explaining the unique iconography of the Annunciation (Fig. 2) in the Carafa Chapel through a detailed analysis of the eulogy delivered at the funeral of the client who commissioned the artworks in that very chapel. Araki says that deciphering the interpersonal events of people who lived over 500 years ago is almost like a journey through time and space, or “like a detective novel. It’s hard not to get excited.”
Art historiography is overflowing with “classics” and established norms that have accumulated over time, making it an incredibly difficult and delicate process for scholars even in the West to propose new theories. Araki, however, has not been bound by these established theories, able to shed light on blind spots in our understanding of history and uncover new facts and ideas one after the another. Araki had this to say, “In some areas, it actually works in my favor to be Japanese, because I have such a different cultural background.”

Figure 2: The Carafa Chapel (left) and its altarpiece, The Annunciation (right)
This painting depicts the person who commissioned it (the kneeling man with a red cloak) being blessed by the Virgin Mary (center). Araki explained the reason for this unique iconography in her research, discussing how the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva where the Carafa Chapel is located had a special belief system that it had fostered related to the Virgin of the Annunciation. The Japanese video below provides a detailed analysis of this topic.

Every piece of art has its own light that makes it shine. Araki says that she wants to be “an ‘evangelist’ who can help more people appreciate the appeal of various works of art.” In recent years, she has become increasingly busy, juggling multiple research topics to accommodate incoming requests for writing and collaborative research. At the same time, she is still fully engaged in her personal research and preparation for her single-authored book in Japan. Araki firmly believes that “artworks won’t let you down.” This is because she believes that if you ask hard enough, they will give you the answers you seek. Araki tells her students that art will support them at various junctures in their lives.
Ultimately, Araki’s research approach itself, the effort to “listen absolutely to the voice of a work of art,” has an intrinsic artistic aspect. In trying to figure out how to share this way of thinking with her students, Araki came up with the idea of using “marbling” (Fig. 3). This artistic technique can be enjoyable not only for college students but also for children and adults. By using this technique in workshops or similar settings, participants can create pieces based on a common theme, such as “going for a walk” or “impressionism.” Visualizing the piece and trying to give it form provides the spark for artistic thinking. Then, by sharing their thought processes with other participants, they can expand on their initial ideas and conceptions.
Araki smiled brightly as she said, “I feel like I am good at drawing out people’s feelings and making them think.” Perhaps, with her well-honed observational skills that she has applied to art, she can also listen to the voices of people as well and help them express their individuality and potential.

When I was in middle school, I was really impressed by a performance I saw of the Takarazuka Revue. Of course, I was fascinated by the performances of the top stars like Yūki Amami and Maki Ichiro. I also loved the huge dresses of the female characters and the aesthetics of the world they were portraying. That play planted the seed for my interest in Western culture.

When I was in my third and final year of high school, my choir performed Elisabeth at the school’s annual cultural festival. Since many of us wanted to continue performing after graduation, some of the original members got together and worked on a musical production. We acted on the stage about once a year. Sadly, the group stopped performing around the time that I started working at Keio.

That’s right. In order to avoid suspicion that I was slacking off by participating in these musicals, I had to make sure that I was producing solid research. In Italy, I worked all hours of the day to get results. Then I would schedule it in such a way when rehearsals for the musicals started up, I would have time to present at academic conferences in Japan. I gained a lot of experience trying to balance my research and my commitment to the musicals.

I had always enjoyed appreciating paintings and traveling, but the main reason was that I loved the Western art history classes taught by my supervisor, Prof. Yoshinori Kyotani (then at Kyushu University, now at Gakushuin University). Influenced by Prof. Kyotani, I decided to specialize in Italian Renaissance art. Professor Kyotani respected my unique character and encouraged me to grow and follow my own path. Thanks to him, I was able to develop into the free thinker that I am today. I don’t talk about it much, but I come from a family of academics. My father studies Western philosophy, my mother specializes in psychology, and both my paternal grandfather and my older sister are experts in Eastern philosophy. I am sure that must have contributed to my natural progression into the world of academia.

To study Italian art history, you need to know more than English. You have to learn Italian, Latin, French, German, and other languages. It was quite a task. There were many other hurdles besides the language barrier, but I particularly remember an incident during my first presentation in the first year of my Ph.D. program at the Sapienza University of Rome. One of the professors asked, in front of everyone, mind you, “Exactly how long have you been studying in Italy? Your presentation doesn’t make any sense.” The topics I discussed in that presentation ended up in a book that I published, which, I might add, would go on to win the Premio Daria Borghese. There is already a considerable amount of literature written on Italian Renaissance art. The professor probably had some preconceived notions that it was impossible for a young Japanese woman to appear on the scene and make a completely new discovery (I actually cried a lot).

When I felt that I had hit a wall with the instruction I was receiving at the Sapienza University of Rome, I stopped going to the university for about a year. But that did not mean that I was just going to give up and go back home. I ended up staying in Rome to do research on my own, seeking advice from my Japanese supervisor. At that time, an art historian told me about a one-year scholarship at the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa. I applied for the scholarship, even considering quitting Sapienza University if necessary. That was when things finally fell into place. I began to study with Prof. Salvatore Settis, an authority in the world of art history, and worked on my research in peace for a year. Prof. Settis was quick to evaluate my work. When he read about my achievements in Pisa, he said that it was “excellent research.” Then, when I gave my subsequent presentation at the Sapienza University of Rome my supervising faculty member, Prof. Curzi, was incredibly enthusiastic. This got the ball rolling again and opened the door for me to finally complete my doctoral dissertation.

The artwork is the main character in art history. I think it is important to discard my own preconceptions and try to observe what is in front of me as it is. I believe that our skills to observe are something we hone over time. In the classroom, I frequently use games to help students practice "eyes for art" to improve their ability to grasp visual information. Students are very surprised at how much fun they have and ask to do them more often. If you are interested in experiencing these games for yourself, I would love to see you enroll at Keio and take my classes. I can guarantee that it will change the way you see the world, and I think that these skills can also be applied by students in the Faculty of Science and Technology when they have to analyze their experiment results.

I am happy to say that many students have told me, “Before, when I went to art museums, I had no idea what to look for, so I usually left there without taking much time. Now, I can spend three or four hours completely immersed in my observations, and the next thing I know, it’s closing time!” As a teacher, this is the best feedback you can get.
Keio students, not just those in the Faculty of Science and Technology, are very light on their feet and adventurous. They send me photos from art museums that they have visited in Japan and abroad and share their thoughts with me. It’s a very rewarding experience.

I think that by developing a critical and appreciative eye for works of art, people also refine their artistic sense and intuition to grasp the meaning behind a piece of art when they look at it. I find myself looking at the same artwork over and over again, picking up on new aspects over the years that I had not noticed before. In my case, I start my academic papers with the ideas that dawn on me while I am observing a work and then try to put those ideas into actual words. However, what comes through in my writing is not pure intuition, but detailed and logical arguments that seem to resonate with the students here at the Faculty of Science and Technology.

Ultimately, despite all the difficulties and frustrations I encounter, I really enjoy my research in art history. Learning should, first and foremost, be fun. I try to incorporate playful elements into teaching. However, if I do this by making students draw or dance, for example, those who are not good at the given task may feel at a disadvantage. Marbling, on the other hand, is not a matter of skill. It is a technique that anyone can enjoy and feel satisfied with their final product.
Recently, I have been working together with Prof. Masayuki Kohiyama of Keio University’s Department of System Design Engineering to experiment with sustainable initiatives that incorporate disaster prevention, citizen science, and art. For example, if disaster prevention maps or guides only say “this place is dangerous,” readers may be intimidated and shy away. However, by incorporating art into the process, it may be possible to raise awareness while also having the participants enjoy learning about disaster preparedness. Right now, we are working on creating marble collages to help with this process, so I am excited to see where it goes in the future.
I would like to create opportunities to hold workshops not only for Keio University students, but also for people of all ages in Japan and overseas. We may visit some of Keio’s affiliated schools sometime soon. I look forward to meeting everyone when we do.

●When I looked at class surveys filled out by students, I found a rare example that said this class is worth taking. When analyzing the process of how the Stories of Moses and Stories of Jesus were painted in the Sistine Chapel, Prof. Araki didn’t just base her observations on the frescoes. She examined things from every angle, showing us various historical documents such as a record of an artist's attendance at a confraternity meeting. It’s incredible that she makes new discoveries that overturn established theories and argues in a way that even those of us without special knowledge can understand. I thought that the class was great because it made you think.
Prof. Araki is very kind and receptive to other people’s ideas, so she helped create an atmosphere where it was easy for students to share their own interpretations and opinions. She also gave a lot of feedback on our group work. I had such a good time that I ended up taking another class with her! When I was a first-year student I took her class “Visual Design Theory” and when I was a third-year student I took “Seminar in the Social Sciences (Culture and Representation).” (This is a paraphrased summary based on conversations with two students.)
(Interview and composition: Yuko Hiratsuka & Kaori Oishi)