“Were it not for shadows, there would be no beauty.”
Quotes by Jun'ichiro Tanizaki
“The older we get the more we seem to think that everything was better in the past.”
“Whenever I see the alcove of a tastefully built Japanese room, I marvel at our comprehension of the secrets of shadows, our sensitive use of shadow and light. For the beauty of the alcove is not the work of some clever device. An empty space is marked off with plain wood and plain walls, so that the light drawn into its forms dim shadows within emptiness. There is nothing more. And yet, when we gaze into the darkness that gathers behind the crossbeam, around the flower vase, beneath the shelves, though we know perfectly well it is mere shadow, we are overcome with the feeling that in this small corner of the atmosphere there reigns complete and utter silence; that here in the darkness immutable tranquility holds sway.”
Jun'ichiro TanizakiJun'ichirō Tanizaki was a pivotal figure in modern Japanese literature, known for his exploration of complex themes such as sexuality, obsession, and the intricacies of family life. His works often re...