The reason the Japanese paintings looked like this is because their focus on art was to capture the essence of something or someone. They actually discouraged those who could make things exactly as they were.
Japan opened it's borders in the 1850's, before then they simply didn't have the materials or technology to replicate the European masters. But if you compare Japan's textiles and pottery to Europe's at the time, Europe would hang it's head in shame. Art is more than paintings.
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