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n.

i\p

'".i" """;-;= k-y si^"ep--^!?;

:vyv
-

JTt.scrjT^v:.

,^

Shitnso."

Typical

Woman

of

the

rhh)-ve

School

(See

TK

l^S", "501 3"Z.

.

HARVARD FOGG

FINE

AMG

UBkARV.

ML"SEUM'

HARVARD ERNEST

COLLtGE
GIFT OF

LIBRARY
STILLMAN

GOODRICH
1940

Copyright,igo3
By
L. C.

Page

"

Company

(incorporated)

All

rights

reserved

Fourth

Impression,

April,

1907

COLONIAL

PRESS

Electrotyped

and

Printed

by C. H
U.S.A.

Simoftds
.

df

Co.

Boston,

TO

THE

MEMORY

OF

PREFACE

[N

compiling
its

this

book

for should It
is

cation, publibe

'mm
clearly
much
a

purpose

understood. and

not

so

book
much

for has

experts
been
those

connoisseurs
in

too
"

written

that
would

strain
"

but

for

persons

who

like

to

become

more

intimately
but
have of

acquainted
been book
deterred

with

Japanese doing
so

Art,

from

by

the

want

which

would them

accomplish
to turn

this,

without

obliging

specialists.
the first

This which

is

history
to

of

Japanese
the ject. sub-

Art

attempts
have

popularize

endeavoured

sincerely
all its and

and

sympathetically
phases
and

to

reproduce
characteristics,

ing lead-

to

VI

PREFACE

show

its
to

gradual
our

growth

from

the

archaic
its
to

period

modern such
a

time, bearing in
resemblance the
was

evolutions
the the
art

striking
As in
art

of

Europe.

latter, so
a

in

former,

primitive
the

religious
was

art, and

in both

feudal

period
In the

lowed fol-

by

renaissance.
the

teenth seven-

century,

glorious epoch corresponds

in ideal the
was

of
to

the the

Fukugawa
age of Louis the

Shogunate
XV.,
while

eighteenth
followed

century

classical

by

realistic

tendency

in both

Japan

and

Europe.
The

great
to

difficultylay
Japan
was

in

knowing

what

omit. of

very the

fertile in the
famous

production
ashi's

artists

"

Haydred hun-

collection

mentions the

over

four

representatives of
alone,
space,

Ukio-ye

school of

and among

the

necessary
reasons,

limitations
made it

other

sible imposworthy

to

exhaust

the
I have

list of all those

of

mention.

paid slightattention

PREFACE

VU

to

the

peculiar
their

habit
names

of

Japanese
times

artists

of

changing
their the

several
"

during
test

professional career,
too
a

as

it would

memory in

severely,
"

but

invariably,
the
name

except

few

cases,
were

mentioned best
space

by
have

which

they

known,
to

Nor

I devoted
notes

much

ical biographof the

and
as

the

Japanese
would

titles

artists' works,
the

they

only

confuse

reader.

My

sole

aim
and

was

to

show

what

the

ing lead-

schools

their

foremost with

exponents

have

actually accomplished,
stress
on

lar particu-

those
most

of their

accomplishments
to
our

which
sense

appeal

strongly
to

ern West-

of aesthetics, and
an

also

give

the

layman
touch of

opportunity
the

of

coming

into grace

with

infinite

variety and

Japanese
I

pictorialism.
this book
in will the

hope

that

be

welcomed
of
a

by

all those

interested

culture

country

where,

apparently,

for

centuries,

Vm

PREFACE

all

worked

In

harmony,
the

pursuing
same

the methods

same

ideals

and

following
in

of

ornamentation,
art

order
of Old

to

produce

tional na-

the

art

Japan.
The
Author.

CONTENTS

CHAPTBR

tAOB

I.

Early

Religious

Painting
. .

ii

II.

The

Feudal

Period
" .

37
"
.

III.

The

Renaissance

60

IV.

The

Realistic

Movement
.

.104
"

V.

The

Influence

of

Japanese

Art

on

Western

Civilization
"
.

.154

VI.

Japanese

Architecture

and

ture Sculp-

174

VII.

The

Ornamental

Arts
.

.216
.

VIII.

Modern

Japanese

Art
. . .

253

Bibliography

279

Index

283

LIST

OF

ILLUSTRATIONS

PAOB

Shunso.
"

Typical
1 1

Woman

of

the

Ukio-ye

School

{See page
Chang
-

J)
hu
"

....

Frontispiece
or

Yueh of

Kakemonos

Wall
Sea
on

Picture
a

Bodhi-Dharma
Prince
"

Crossing
and

the

Reed

i8

MiTSUNOBU. Late Massanobu.

"

Princess
...

48
"

Tosa

School
"

Orchard of the

in

Spring
Ichikawa

-53

Portrait

Actor,

Danjuro
Mokk".
"

70
A

Tiger
Portrait
....

79

KoRiN.
"

Character A
"

96
126

KuNiYOSHY.
Kiyonaga.
"

Ronin
Iris

Picking
On

131 133

Kunisada.
"

the

River

HiROSHiGB. HoKUSAi.
"

A
"

Landscape
.
.

.138
.

View
of

of

Mount
for

Fusiyama
.

149 157

Sketches Silk Bronze ToRii Pagoda

Cranes
for

Decorative

Work

Embroidery Sword

Screen
. .

.158
Corner
-

-Guards

and

Pisces

167

189 196
Asakasa Vase Vase -Work 207

Dai-Butsu,
Bronze Bronze

239 243 249

in the

Lacquer
Kiosai.
"

Council

Dragon

Castle
.

.257

JAPANESE

ART

CHAPTER

!"

EARLY

RELIGIOUS

PAINTING

The

Kanaoka

School

(tth-ioth

Cbntu"y)

[ODS
halos

and

goddesses,
dark

with blue

large
grounds, backing smil-

against
strange

divinities,
in

serenely,
draperies,
with seated

garbed
on

soft,

flowing
cushioned

thrones
and

lotus

flowers,
attributes

surrounded such
"

by
are

mythological
pictures
the that

the from

have

come

down

to

us

earliest

period
in

of

Japanese

art.

Just

as

Italy
to

religious
the
II

painting,
realistic

fore beart

giving

place

more

12

JAPANESE

ART

of

the

successors

of work

Masaccio,
of Fra

had

nated incarits

in ideal embodied and

the

Angelico
so

mystical
in its the

tendencies,

Japan
of its and

decorative ideals

panels
of
pure

temples
native In Nara

ancient

beauty.
the
was

eighth century,
made the
seat
was

when of the
no

the

city

of

Mikado's
means

government,
an

Japan
state.

by

in of the

archaic had
power

The

authority greatly

crown

become of the and

a

extended,
local tains chief-

the

hereditary
system
of who of

broken,
instituted

government
held the
meant

with
to

prefects,
control
in

office

subject

the

Mikado.
the

Learning, study
of

which
the had

Japan

masterpieces
made progress.

of

Chinese
Schools

antiquity,
had
been

established,
the four

and

university, history, of
of metic, arithbe

comprising
the

faculties

of

Chinese
was

classics, of law, and

founded.

This,

it

will

EARLY

RELIGIOUS

PAINTING

observed,
classes

was

for It that

the
was

benefit
not

of

the
many

official
turies cen-

only.
later

until

education

reached
were

the ers, teach-

common

people. mostly
and the
statue

There
of
art.

also

Koreans,

medicine,
The and

ing, paintcolossal

glyptic
of

bronze

Buddha,
in

some

markable re-

sculptures
still to which the be the last
seen

wood,

which the

are

at

Nara,
had

testifyto
then

skill in

Japanese
art.

acquired

named

The
down any

first written
to
us

book

which
or

has

come

in the

Japanese,
the

indeed
"

in ords Rec-

Turanian
of

tongue,

Kojiki
was

or

Ancient and
a

Matters,"
at

completed
Nara

in

712;

the

court

of

there
of

existed
"

regular hereditary corporation

to

reciters," similar
and

the

bards

of

nia Britan-

Ireland,
before
the

who

recited Mikado
on

"ancient
solemn

words*'

occasions.
Of
even

greater

importance

were

their

14

JAPANESE

ART

achievements
was

in

architecture.
with

This

art

intimately
cult which for

connected

Buddhism,
and

demanded its due of

statelytemples
exercise. the
court

pagodas

The also its

creasin inquired re-

authority
edifices and
more more

befitting
with

dignity,
the geous gor-

in

consonance

costumes

and than
were

ceremonials
the old

adopted

from

China,
which

sovereign
every in
a

palaces,
Mikado
new

only temporary,
himself
a

having locality.

built

palace

China

was

in

those sordid aim

days
in
as

not

as

unpro-

gressive, prosaic,
and
as we

temperament,

mercenary suppose its

in it to

it is Its in
a

to-day (or

be).
and,

ancient

lization, civi-

copious

many

respects,
which years,
on

remarkable
even

literature, and
went
a

history
of

then

back

thousands influence It

exercised

commanding
countries. the Eastern

the

surrounding
of

played

the

part
there

Greece

to

world,

and

EARLY

RELIGIOUS

PAINTING

is
and

no

department

of

Japanese
material

national

life

thought,

whether

civilization,

religion, morals,
literature bear
traces

guage, politicalorganization, lanor

art,

which
influence.

does

not

of China
an

Chinese lies

Beyond
furnished
the

India,
factor

which
in

has
ing moulddhism. Bud-

important

Japanese

character,
to

namely.
China

If,in regard
the

Japan,
Rome,

takes

place
its

of Greece

and

Buddhism,
ences, influthat of

with

softening
a

and

humanizing
similar
to

holds

position
the

Christianity
alternate powers is

in

Western
of

world. these of that

The
two

preponderance
an

interesting
we

feature
see

nese Japait has

history, and
not

shall upon

been The

without

effect

its art
in

island
with the

mountaineers, mainland,
from
over

continual
ous numer-

touch

through
Korea
to

immigrations
which the extended

Japan,
received
art

centuries,
and
East

gifts of

Chinese

Indian

EARLY

REUGIOUS

PAINTING

The

isolated
of that the

situation

and

the

elongated

shape
like from of the

the
of

Japanese
a

islands, something
crescent

narrow

severed
the
a

mainland,
sun

have
to

helped
birth
to

land

rising
race,

give
all

leged priviand

fit the

for

refinements,
and
most

gifted

with

noblest

artistic

sensibility.
The

oldest
those make
art

written of
no

documents

of

the

Japanese,
centuries,
of

the

eighth
to

and
any

ninth

allusion
to

style
tury. cen-

pictorial
Modem

previous

the

fifth

investigation,however,
a

has

pronounced temple
of

Buddhistic
at

altar-piecein
Nara,
The the
most

the
cient an-

Horiuji,

pictorial relic.
mentioned of
was a

first

painter
name

Chinese,
said
to

by
have

the
come

Shinki,

who

is the

to

Japan
Yuriaku
a

during

reign
A

of

the

Emperor
later

(457-479).
of
to

little

Suki,

descendant

the

Chinese
and

emperor,
was

Wen

Ti,

came

Nippon

natu-

JAPANESE

ART

ralized.
famous in

"The
the
A.

brush

of

his

son

became
Buretsu
"

days
D.).

of

Emperor
three of

(499-506,
years

About

hundred

later, a
he is

descendant sometimes

^inki,^a"u-

riu^as
the Mikado. The of
art.

called, obtained
"

qI J[f"^" tjfU^nfj"fg^jrif^r

irom

the

city of^^y^^^ftJ^^came
It

the

centre

gathered
eaves

under all the the gave

its
art

palace
those of
to

roofs

andtemple produced.

days
dhistic Budligious re-

It

became

home

culture, and
school known of
as

birth

the

of

painting.
the

K^kal^better

Daishi,

J.*.iUustrious apostle

Buddhism/'jpain

ted -four, xifJiifi^seven

images

Qf..Jiigli..pxifi"te-4iiat-haveJiecom
The

historical.
and the number The three
to

painters
were

Kabenari

(853)
in
a

Minamoto-no-Nabu

employed
executed

temples,
of

and

Kavenaka for the

panels

imperial palace.
chiselled
from year.

Buddhist
five

monks

thousand

images

every

Chang

Yueh

hu.

"

Kakemonos
Reed.

or

Wall

Picture
THE

of on

Bodhi-Dharma
a

Crossing

Sea

EARLY

RELIGIOUS

PAINTING

Chirography
a

was

raised

to

the

dignity

of

fine

art.

Mathematics The with

new

had
of

many

expert
was

exponents.
taken
up

study

astronomy
the
art

zeal, and

of

healing
Minamotos their

made

considerable
made

progress. age the wonder

The
at

their

musical

gifts, and
a

writing

of

poetry
the In

became
of the

favourite
court

pastime

with

ladies the
were

ninth

century

the renowned

temples

and

palaces
both
who

filled with and

pictures,
Kanaoka,

by

natives

Chinese.

the typifies

earliest

style
yrars

qf^Japanese
in-^fa"dying
about the

paiQjijagr^P^w*"
them. He In
880

Inng

became
he the

famous decorated

850screens

S$g!^
and

walls

of

Kyoto
and years

palace
other later

with

the

portraits of

Confucius
A

Chinese

philosophers.
a

few
ancient

he

painted
poets
of
of the

serial

of for

the
the

sages

and

Japan
Mikado's

audience-chamber

palace.

20

JAPANESE

ART

His in the

sacred

pictures, Japanese
attitudes
of in

divinities

beatified
on

India, clouds,
down
to

toeing tipor

waves,

wrapped

sitting cross-legged, weighed heavenly

been very

by
have

meditations,
numerous.

are

said

Very
saved,
nor

little have in of

of

it, however,
his
successors

has

been
more

been
The

successful enemy

that

respect

secular troyed deshave

Japanese

temples, fire, has

those altered
few in that colour the old pure is

nearly all, and

been
exposure

preserved
and

are

by
deep
dhist Bud-

oxidation.
often
seen

Only
in the of

clear

blue,

so

pictures, consisting
lazuli^ ground
as

lapis to-day

up

into
was

pigment,

brilliant

as

it

of yore. blue of

This
most

lapis

lazuli

is

really

the The

characteristic

colour

Japan.
a

first

vivid
as

colour-impression
he
or

stranger
streets

receives
of

walks

through

the

Yeddo

Yokohama

is this

peculiar

EARLY

RELIGIOUS

PAINTING

21

blue.
are

The

top-heavy mostly
same

roofs

of

the blue

ings build-

covered colour-note

with

tiles,
in

and

the

dominates
the

the
of

popular
the

costume

and There

sign-boards
places,
and green
a

shops.
of

is, in white,
"

sprinkling
but the

light blue,
is

red;
and

remainder
almost

blue

yellow being
Of

completely

absent.
a

Kangflkals.painting, scarcely
remain. of One
can

dozen
seen

specimens
at

still be

the

temple
the

Nieinai;

another,

senting repre-

god Fudo,
wand
in his

enveloped by flames,
hand,
Also in the of
reason

with

big
at at

at

the

temple
ancient of

Dayuyi
temples
Bizen
There his

Tokyo.
Nara and

the

province
his
to

contain is

examples
no

work.
doubt

consequently
talent

great
Various

legends by
of

tell of

wonderful One of

feats

accomplished
best
one

his
these

brush.

the

known

stories,
which

reminding
were

of

Zeuxis's

grapes,

so

EARLY

RELIGIOUS

PAINTING

23

"The

horse

had

been

so

wondrously
indeed, life, that
with he

portrayed
such became
an

by Kanaoka,
appearance of

and,
real and the that the

living thing, liberty amongst

returned fields."
can

each

night
The outside

to

only
of

Kanaoka
is at of and

be in half

seen

Japan
date

Louvre

Paris.
of the in

It bears

the

the
was

second

ninth
1

century,

brought
The
to

over

882

by

Japanese
at

amateur.

museum

authorities but

first

refused
to

consider it.
It

it,
resents rep-

finallyconsented Dsijo,
the

admit of half half

god body
eyes

benevolence.

With head

his

plump
his
space.

naked, closed,
that he he

his is has

shaven,
into

gazing
been and
to

It appears for
a

dreaming
that the he will

thus
never

very

long

time,

rouse

himself
This world

again
being
;

sensations
from the

of

reality.
rest

is isolated has entered It is

a

of

the

he

Nirvana.
of
art

work

manifestly primitive,

24

JAPANESE

ART

and the which while

yet

not

crude,
mural

as

were,

for of

instance,

ancient

paintings
personages
seen
as

Egypt, profile
a

represented
the The eyes
were

in if from
not
sure

front
tomically ana-

view.

drawing,
correct,
is

although

marvellously

and

pure

in

its from
as

line
mere

composition.

Infinitely
empty

removed abstraction

prettiness, from
realistic
an

from idea and

there curiosity, wealth of

is in its line

exhaustless
eastern
a

languid
One
a

grace
not

deliciousness.

could hair's of

change
without whole.

single

line

by
the

breadth the

changing colouring
one

poise

The

is
of

harmonious,
faded
tones
more

reminding
and the

slightly

tapestry
of the

deep,
but of

satiated that is

the
work

Primitives;
of

time

than

the

er's paint-

brush.
It would

be of

extremely
this

difficult
art.

to

trace

the
as

origin

peculiar
Japanese;

It is not,

yet, genuinely

its

composi-

EARLY

RELIGIOUS

PAINTING

25

tion flow

is too of the

symmetrical
lines The
not

for

that, and

the

rapid
Chinese
in
a

and

ous instantaneof the

enough.
Tang
pompous

painters
more

dynasty painted
manner.

rigid and
of the Benares

The

conception
In

picture
you their may

is

purely
run

Buddhistic.
similar

across

pictures, but
more

treatment

is Hindu and
is

generally
perceives
diverse, and
and

rate. elabo-

The multitudinous in his

art

chiefly

the

everything
exaggerated,

complex
of

and, for the

The is
as as

lack of
as

leading lines, irregular.

on

picture simple
and

Kanaoka,

the

contrary, work,
and

early Byzantine
as

soft

graceful

Persian that
were

painting.
the

It

is

therefore of

possible
art

nings beginstrongly
That

Japanese

affected there
was

by
an

Persian

influences.
of

exchange
Japan
in

ideas
remote

between

Persia
is known

and

those

days,
which
em-

from

ancient Persian

chronicles,
and

report

that

"

Japanese

26

JAPANESE

ART

bassies

met

at

the

court

of

the

Middle

Kingdom." Although
freedom of has
a

rarely rising to greatness expression,

the work of

and this and

finement re-

period

never-failing tenderness
and

purity, a

cheerfulness of

sincerity,a gives
who
an

which feeling, the in

a

elevated

pleasure
these

to

student less

approaches
than
a

relics
mood.

critical
possess

ciative appre-

They quality
a

living,selfwhich

withdrawn

of

expression

gives
not
ness

them

peculiar religious
unction,
but the

grace

"

ecclesiastical
of the The

devout-

heart.
devoted

painters

themselves
among

chiefly

to

religioussubjects,but
also

their works
of

were

occasional
and

portraits, figures
Most of

animals,
work
and
was

landscapes.
on

this

executed
screens

the

walls, ceilings,
of
more

sliding

(sAoyz)
But

the

dhistic Bud-

temples.
date vehicles
for

also

the

up-toto

pictorial expression,

EARLY

RELIGIOUS

PAINTING

27

which

we

have in
use,

become

accustomed,
kakemonos

were

already

namely,

(wall

pictures), makimonos
gakus.
The framed
on
a

(scrollpictures) and

kakemono
in

is

an

oblong piece
and
canvas

of

silk,

stripes of brocade,
narrow

mounted with
a

long

strip
The

of

wooden with

rollers.

makimono
to
a

is

scroll

rollers, intended
and

be

examined
framed

by
in

hand,
Western

the

gaku

picture

fashion.

Kanaoka

originated
for each each of its

different

style

of

technique

of these would
own.

mediums,
need He
an

fully
ual individthe many
as

realizing that
treatment

founded and had

imperial pupils
is
so

school
most

of Yedoreko,

the

illustrious
case

ones

being,

often of and

the

with

Japanese
two

artists,
sons,

members Atima Hirotaka

his

own

family, his
and

Kateda,

his
The

great-grandson,
latter
was
a

(987-1012).
as

priest

well

as

painter, and

is said

to

28

JAPANESE

ART

have
the

been
Buddhistic
on a

the

first

painter
One of

who his

depicted tions, composiin its

to

hell.

large scale,

remarkable

power

of characterization, of

is still shown

visitors
the

the

temple
of Omi.

of

Tchiorakouyi,

in

province
From all the
at

over

the of

country, Hida,

particularly
artisans, who
and
penters, car-

from
were

province
once

architects,

carvers, to

came

flocking
who
to

Kyoto,

among

them artists

Suminawa,
in of of skill

surpassed
an

his brother that the

such called

extent
"

people
artist

Kyoto
Hida."
not

him

the

carpenter
was

Temple
less
than

after thirteen

temple

built, and

thousand

images during 876). Kyoto city

and
at

were

painted, by imperial decree, reign

of

the

Mikado

Genwa

(859-

must

have

been

an

extraordinary religion public life,

was

in
art

those
were

days.

Elsewhere,
of the else

only parts

Kyoto

scarcely anything

to

be

EARLY

RELIGIOUS

PAINTING

29

seen.

It whole

occupied
streets

thousands
were

of

asts, enthusistudios of idols

as
merous nu-

turned

into

and and

workshops, images
as

and said human

the
to

population
have been

is

the

population.
at

The faint With able

Shiba

temple
era

Tokyo

still

gives

idea

of this

of

religioussplendour.
mind

erudition,
to

Western for

may ideas

be and and dhistic Bud-

reproduce
the which

itself the
of the

sentiments,
emotions

sequences formed
or

images
of
can
a

soul We

painter
the
created intense in every
even

architect

ine imaghave

impression
days,
of when man's

it must

those
moment
we

pied religion occu-

thought,
at

as

to-day

feel

bewildered

its

traces.

At

first

sight, one

scarcely knows They only

what
seem

all these
a

forms
of

represent.

confusion

lines, curving, interlaced,

entangled
are

by

chance.
"

By degrees shapes genii, dragons,

discernible

gods,

EARLY

REUGIOUS

PAINTING

which

is

otherwise has
set
run

so

correct

and
our

well

ordered,
habits
are

wild.

All

mental multitu-

at

naught

by

this A

dinousness
of
us

of

apparitions.
and
at

sensation
overcomes

bewilderment
as we

vertigo
endless

look

those

processions
ages, person-

of

gods,

divinities,
and

mythological
at

genii

demons,

these with

hairy,
gated eloncrani-

extravagantly shaped
arms

creatures
enormous

and

legs, with
the

ums

(like Fukuruja, eight-headed

in bodies vapours of of

god

of

wealth),

at

these

dragons
or

twisting
at

and

writhing
strange
to

flames,

these

quadrupeds,
a

unknown
or

the

zoology

Cuvier

Agassiz.
demons,

Fairy castles,
rise

inhabited

by
in

wicked the

fata-morgana-like
sea-shrines the
waves,

mist, jewelin

ornamented

sparkle

the

depth
caves

of open

and

dragon-guarded
astonished eyes.

before

one's
of

The
with
a

Japanese
turn

nimble
and

apprehension, elegance
even

for

neatness

32

JAPANESE

ART

in

his

pleasures,
it matters
to

is

fond

of

listening
him whether Whether

to

stories, and

little to eye
or ear.

they

are

told
on

the

tattooed

the

back

of
or

foot-runner,
hammer
or

pounded
metal,

out

by

punch
in

in

enamelled

cloisonne
or

niello,
his eye

embroidered,

inlaid,
read the

painted,

delights
lore. The

to

familiar, fancy-tickling

artists

have for

taken

advantage
They
of have

of this orated elabhand, short-

predilection
them and
means

symbols.
a

into classified

sort

artistic

them
are

into able
to

groups,

by
a

of which

they
utmost

tell many And the

long story
never

with

brevity.
story in

they
same

tire of

telling the
a

way.

Benten,

female
as

personification
a

of

virtue, is represented

beautiful the

woman

playing
the
sea,

lute. sits

Kwannon,

goddess
at

of the and

among the

jagged
type

rocks of
peace

shore,

outwardly

contemplation, inwardly ranging

with

rest-

EARLY

RELIGIOUS

PAINTING

33

less from

eye

the

treacherous

expanses and
rescues

of ocean,

whose

disaster

death,
the

by

her

supreme marines.
as

will, she Futen,

and the

helpless

wind-imp, lives aloft,

his

he

loosens

opens into
or

ever-plethoric zephyrs,
Raiden, drums,
clouds.
uncouth
same

wind-bag,
breezes,
the

setting

motion

cyclones,

tornadoes. with among his

thunder-god, busy

is
A

always partiallyhidden
number
names,

of

genii

with

quaint,

invariably performing
can

the the

antics,

be One of
a

recognized
of them
;

at

first

glance.
horses hollow
out

conjures
another
one
never

miniature floats
on a

gourd
a

trunk;
at
a

third
;

tires
man

of is

looking

waterfall

little old
an

persistently depicted
amuses

riding

ox

gar beg-

himself his

by emitting his spirit

another
one

out

of

mouth;

tramps
erally genknown

about,

accompanied
sits
on

by
;

toad the

which best

his head curious

and

of all these

personages

invariably

34

JAPANESE

ART

rises
carp.

from

river

on

the

back

of

winged

This
with
a

fairy
most

world

furnished

the

artist
to
mained re-

fascinating

repertoire,
he has

which,

with

slight deviation,
to
not

faithful

this

very
to

day.
tell of all the
In

Space
creatures

does in

permit

Japanese

mythology.
are

many

instances,
in

they

the

epitomes,
of

expressed

graphic

symbols,
and

past

myths,
the

or

of real

struggles

conquests,
in

memory but
not

of which
in

survives

tion imagina-

chronology.
to

Japan
for its

is
art

largely indebted symbols.

The immense

Buddhism of

symbolism

Gautama with

is

like

an

vegetation,
an

ever-increasing branches,
network of and

cable inextri-

offshoots, unrestrained,
with

all

growing
covering

vigorously
all of
men's

thoughts

its ornamental

fretwork.

Buddhism,

however,

became

in

Japan

EARLY

RELIGIOUS

PAINTING

35 rites

never

as

intense become did

not

as

in

India.

Its

did

not

tyrannical, and
worry

its metaphysics the

timental sen-

and

confuse rather
more

people.

The than and

Japanese, being

passionate,
inventive

and

genious in-

than of

profound, leading
He
was

found

himself life of

incapable
the Hindu. for

the
too

languid
active

and

receptive
for

that. did

His
not

cious vora-

appetite
him in
a

knowledge
The

allow which
scenes

to

deny
was

his

ego.

incense,
to

India

stupefying, giving unreality

was

certain
a

and

the

character

as

of that

dream,

in

Japan

merely

veil,

embellished

and

spiritualized

actual-

ity.
The

Nipponese
and

imbued

the

violent

tions emo-

overwhelming
with the

meditations of

of the

Buddhism

gentler spirit
of their

myth
of

and

folk-lore
which

original faith, simplest

more

Shintoism,

is the

creed
rev"

imaginable, teaching

little

than

36

JAPANESE

ART

erence

for

the

supernatural
the

powers of
man.

that

created
It

and
is

govern

universe
understand and

impossible
of the of

to

the

lution evo-

Japanese
their lives
art

race

the

viduality indi-

without much but in is

Shintoism,
in the

for

Shintoism

not

so

books,
heart

rites,
of the

or

commandments, nation,
of which

it

the

highest
all

emotional
the surface and

expression.
crop

For,

underlying

of

foreign
there

superstitions,
thrilled which

myths,
this

magic,

always
dowed en-

mighty

spiritual
with

power, its and the elusive which throb

everything
and the

subtlety taught
of
their

buoyant
Japanese
national

geniality,
to

feel

own

life

whenever

foreign
native

impact
and

threatened

to

sweep

away

idols

precedents.

CHAPTER

II.

THE

FEUDAL

PERIOD

Thb

Yamoto

and

Tosa

Schools

(1000-1400)

IEXT
the of A feudal summoned service of of and and of

to

Buddhism, patron

feudalism

was

special
the
at

and artist. and

stimulus

Japanese
the
arms

glance
lord

armour

of

shows

how of the

his

full fine

equipment
arts to

most

the

the

warrior
chain

caste.

The silk the and

harness

hide

armour,

steel,
and

brocade

lacquer;
chased

helmet
and and

breastplate
the

gold
of
cast

silver;
chiselled

dragon
the

insignia
silken

metal;

banner,
with

woven,

broidered, em-

or

painted, polished
37

the

ancestral of the

blazon;

the

triumphs

THE

FEUDAL

PERIOD

39

lecture,

in
in

the

cut

and

pattern

of

ments, gar-

literature,
world which

the
was

Japanese
distinct
was

had
from

created

anything foreign, and

own.

which

all their

Although
to

Chinese

inspirationgave
latter

birth

the

Yamoto

school, the

developed
from it

into

something
Chinese.
a

entirely
In

different

anything
created art, touch choice in

other

words,

school

of

Nipponese
be

pictorial
to

which of of

it would

hard
as

find
as

Chinese

influence,
is in

far

the
its

subject
merit

concerned,
the faithful

for

principal
of It furious of acts fulfilled
was

lay

duction repro-

Japanese
a

feudal

life. marked

troublous and

period,
other

by

combats of

warlike

events, and alry chiv-

vengeance,

secretly planned
The
an

by treachery.
itself
to

spiritof
extreme

developed
and

point,
and code

during

all this

period

of

blood

fire,of frenzy and

dark

passions, the

40

JAPANESE

ART

of
at

honour
that

and

the

scorn

of

death

arrived
forth the
was

pitch, which
of the until

has

called and

admiration
maintained

universe,
the very

which years of

last

Old

Japan.
The

Yamoto-Tosa
these

school

has

sented repreish feversea

multitudinous
the

phases of
contests

agitation,
and

bitter
mien

by

land, the

proud

of

warriors, the
warlike actions warrior of dress,
;

tournaments, of

single combats, generals,

escapes of minute
pompous

ventures adand

heroic
the

hairbreadth
with
a

of

caste,
monials, cere-

host and

details

processions daimyo
in his

but

it

has

also

shown
to

the his home in

(feudal lord)
of
peace,
to

returning applying
all the
a

times

himself
and of

castle

gardens

tender

poetic inclinations,

that had

long period
unable
to

ungovemed
from called

passion
his soul.

been

banish
been

This writers

style has
who

ornate.

The

apply

this

epithet generally

THE

FEUDAL

PERIOD

refer

to

the

peculiar monotony
of the human

in

the

resentati repNo

figures. they
are

matter

how look real

vigorously
like

drawn,
not
mere

they
like

dolls

and

automatons,

living beings.
often of
not

They
more

are

flourishes,
than

importance
which There Yamoto
are

the

courtly
all
over

honorifics the

scrawled much school

picture.
The
to

is

excuse

for

this.
a means

was

merely
Most

glorify the
depicted

nobility.
were

of the of

personages

personages their
a

rank,
in

living daimyos,
whose have it irritating

or

ancestors,
more

delineating style
would finds
soon

actions been

realistic The

offensive. and

student
at

tiresome
to

first,but truth,

gets

accustomed
was

it.

In

such

tion depicwith the but the

in

entire

consonance

elaborate cumbrous rather of that

ceremonial,
costume, artificial time. and

the much the

imposing
else of

life of

Japanese

court

42

JAPANESE

ART

The
found

painters'contemporaries,
these

no

doubt,
stand; under-

pictures quite
since
customs to

easy

to

but
manners,

then

the have

institutions,

and
as

changed
their

so

much
not

greatly
to

obscure

meaning,
to

only

Western

students,
Piles

but of

the

Japanese by
accumulated
are

themselves. native
over

tary commen-

connoisseurs

have

been

it, and
so

their

tions interpretathat

often
date

inadequate,
found

writers
sary neces-

of

later
to

have critical

it,in turn,
almost
errors

write
up

works,
the

entirely
of their

taken

with

correcting

predecessors.
It

is almost
an

impossible
opinion

for of

foreigners
this
in

to

form

accurate

school.
pean EuroTrue
are

It is very and

imperfectly represented
American collections.
of

enough, quite
are

pictures

the for

Tosa

school

often

offered

sale, but
of
a

they
date.

invariably products
of the

later

Specimens

eleventh,

twelfth, and

THS

FEUDAL

PERIOD

43

thirteenth
even

century
if
one

can

no

longer willing
in

be
to

chased, pur-

were

pay

their
are

weight
in the and

hundredfold of

gold.
Japanese

They
ilies, famEven Tosa

possession
most

old

jealously guarded.
exponents
of the

of the

more

modem

school,

as

Mitsunobu

(died, 1525), Mitsuauthentic

oky,

and
can

finallyMitsuyoshi,
seldom eleventh Minamoto be
seen.

tures pic-

In

the

century
and in
names

the

lies artist famiwere

of
most
we

Motomitsu
the twelfth of Toba of
a

prominent;
encounter

century

the

Soja,
nese Japagreat
and and

the

horse

painter

and which

originator
had such

caricature,
revival
the
two

in

the

seventeenth

century,
Tamehissa

great

colourists,
In the

Nobuzane. Tsoutenaka

thirteenth

century
of
the

became school of Tosa.

the

leader His who which

imperial

raries contempodecorated
was

were

Takatshika,
of

the

temple

Kassouga,

fin-

44

JAPANESE

ART

ished

by

his

descendants the
two

in

the

teenth four-

century,
Ono

Buddhistic
and

priests,

Sojo
of

and the

Seyin,

Soumiyoshi,

"painter

imperial
work
to
a

court"
of

Subjecting
and
one

the schools
at
once

the

Yamato

Tosa realizes

close
the
are

analysis,
Japanese

that

principles
different

of

composition
ours.

notably

from of

First
frames. lines
to

all, the
serve

Japanese
to
us as

never

uses

Frames for
a

boundary
similar ing in look-

pictorial representation
which
we are

those
at
a

to

subjected
of
an

fragment
The

of life out

ordinary
the

window.

frame

clearly
and

defines

painter's pictorial vision,

the
an

concentrates to

interest
extent

upon

his all

canvas

even

such
are

that The
"

other

environments
artist lines
"

forgotten.

Japanese

never

uses

solid, elevated
his

boundary
on

to

isolate
to

picture, but,
his

the

contrary, tries
a

make

picture merely

note

of

superior

THE

FEUDAL

PERIOD

45

interest
of

in

perfect harmony
which,
the
uses

with

the is in

rest

the

kakemono,
with

again,
in

fect per-

harmony
placed.
He

wall

which

it is
fully beauti-

simply
cloth
to

strips of
set

patterned
and endeavours
notes

to

off

the

picture,
and the

accentuate

its lines and

colour

by

the

mounting
for
our

momentary
does

environments,
not

the

nese Japaway of

understand in

hanging
He inherent
aware

pictures

inadequate

ings. surroundto

subordinates ideas of

everything
and is of form

his

harmony,

perfectly
a

that the colour

all the of

accessories

room,
vases

as

screens,

the
must

of

and with

lacquer-cabinets, etc.,
the

harmonize
reveal its true

picture, in

order

to

significance.
This has
art

been is

called

"decorative."
our

"Japanese
have What

decorative,"
over

critics

repeated
a

and
I

over

again.

meaningless phrase
or

Art, whether
is deco-

Japanese, European,

American,

THE

FEUDAL

PERIOD

47

ceive
and

such

close

observers

as

the
to
to

Chinese
see,

Japanese
that
a

being
road the

unable
appears

for

instance,
as

diminish
is this ?
want

it recedes intricate that of

from laws

eye. of

Why

That

perspective

study,
two

even

the house

vanishing
may may
not

lines
tible percep-

of

sides
to

be

the

ignorant,
child
sees

be
a

possible, but
road

the

merest at

that
at

is

rower nar-

the

end

than

the

beginning

where the

he

stands. of

Then,
each

again, although
fish

anatomy
as

bird, beast, and

as

is

closely

observed distance

to

its

general
only
; and
tumes cos-

characteristics,

is indicated

by diminishing
the
armour,

the

objects depicted
detail
a

and the
as

each soldiers
much
are

of

the

of

mile

off,
as

are

painted
on

with
men

minuteness in the

that

the

who

immediate

foreground.
Another of form

striking peculiarity is
The

the

lack

knowledge.

Japanese

painters,

48
not

JAPANESE

ART

only
to

those

of

the

Yamoto-Tosa have
never

school,
drawn
we a

but

this

very

day,
face for
or

proper

human it.

body,

as

stand underor

Take,

instance,

warrior tation represen-

court

lady, by

Mitsunobu. has
of its its

The

undoubtedly
despite
the of

merits.

It is,
an

frugality
most

colouring,

example
"

perfect
which for

flesh

painting,
minds re-

after

its kind,"
one

modelling
is all of the and

of

Holbein. the

There
want

the

apparent
effects of

flatness,

strange
intense

light and
of

shade,

and

individuality

expression,
as

yet
ically anatom-

the

drawing, precise
nor

it is,is neither
correct.
to
us

proportionately
more

This
as

seems

the
men

astonishing
and
women are

the

Japanese

by

no

means

shy

in

appearing
the best form. their
a

naked,

which,
for

after

all,

offers the

opportunity
It must be

studying
ever, howthe

human that

noted,

religious belief regards

carcass,

body

as

vile

of

no

worth

what-

s
Q
"

THE

FEUDAL

PERIOD

49

ever,

destined
in

to

rot

and
canons

waste
as

away.

This,
and

connection
as

with those

rigid

indisputable
which

of

the
the

ancient

Greeks,
how
to

exactly
may the

told

painter
of this of

paint,
in
or

explain
eccentric of

much

mannerism

drawing
the
a

drapery,
face. In for

the

features the folds

human woman's
to

treating

of had

dress,
them
the

instance,
"

they
as

make

either

undulating
"angular
as

the
the

waves

of
of

sea,"
etc.

or

edges

rocks,"

European
went

art, both

painting
a

and
course

ture, sculpof

through

continued
I
mean

development.
as

Naturally,

ment developof

regards knowledge
of
As

anatomy,
nique. tech-

of

form,

colour,

and

of

general

regards

sentiment,
than
in

perhaps
progress, and

there

was

more

decadence
a

arriving
in

from

change
a

feeling

faith, without

corresponding
as

change
Italians,

in

subject.

The

Greeks,

the

50

JAPANESE

ART

passed

through
to

the

same

phase

of

art,
after

continuing
all faith
the

produce
had
in

subjects long
away.
in

in them

passed
Greek and
art

Hence,
the

decadence of
our

early
art

centuries the
as men

era,

in

Italian But and around

as

in

seventeenth

century.
their what revived The later
our on

soon

perceived
to

error,
was

mined deterand nique tech-

paint
art

about

them,

and Flemish the

their

improved.
the

schools,
French and all

Spanish,
even

and

English,
show

American that

school,
In

progress had been

in

respect.

Japan
to

there
The

nothing
have been

analagous changed,
remained
;

this. the
to

subjects
has

but
true

technique
certain be rules

always

and
to

regulations
state masters

and

it would the

difficult
or

whether
were

Tosa, greater

Kano,

Ukio-ye
or

the

draughtsmen
With the

colourists.
do
not

this,

wish
not

to

imply
study

that from

Japanese

artist

does

THE

FEUDAL

PERIOD

51

the contrary, he has derived all the fundamental ideas of his pictorial
nature.

On

so different from ours, from conceptions, of nature. The Japanese are a close study on

byfar more
we

intimate terms and

one

with nature

than

are,

"nature

walks" have

been always
means

of the most

popular
drew

in the education of of instruction

their children. But the artist never

looked He merely from nature. directly absorbed all their peculiarities, at objects, and then
went

back

to

his studio to

combine the facts of nature with certain

conventional modes of treatment, in his the purpose.

best suitedto opinion

In the thirteenthcentury, flower, animal,

life painting and still came The Tosa masters

never

into fashion.

equal the Chinese in the faithful reproduction of the hair of a beast, of the down of the veining of petals, or the dust feathers,
on a

learned to

but they wing, butterfly's gave play

Late

Tosa

School.

"

Orchard

in

Spring.

THE

FEUDAL

PERIOD

53
induced

of
them

form
to

and

texture, away
a

gradually
from

break
to

formalism* of nature,

They

tried

imbue
in

fragment
a

uninteresting
In

with itself,
of
a

poetical idea.
of
tain moun-

the

representation
for the in

basket

flowers,
to

instance,

they

ventured of
a

introduce

poetic

suggestion

mountain

the

background.
many
of

These

experiments resulted,
in with

centuries

later,
views

the

combination

panoramic
as

ostentatious
and

details,
masters, of
a

practised by
who
or

Okyo
delicate

other

used

the
as

structure

flower the it

plant

foreground,
the

and

connected

latter few

with broad

landscape
or a

behind
wilful

by

effects If
a

emptiness.
to

Japanese
an

wishes
in
scene

give

the

sion impresdoes Western it

not

of

orchard

spring, he
as a

paint

the

whole

painter would
a

do, but

simply suggests
with the

by

twig

in

delicate
of
a

bloom,
moon

graceful
it.

silhouette

waning

behind

54

JAPANESE

ART

The toward which

Tosa this is also which

school

gave

the of

first

impulse

conciseness
a

expression,
of

characteristic
reached of in

Japanese
haikaty
a

poetry,
stanza

has

the

consisting
limit
no

seventeen

syllables,

its extreme

of

brevity.
qualities
can

Although
claimed be made for

great

be

these that

poetical forms,
the

it must have

admitted the

Japanese
slender

poets

most

of

their

resources.

It is wonderful

what have
narrow

melody managed
limits.

and
to

true

timent sen-

they
within
manner

compress

these the
a

In

the
to

same

Japanese
admirable of the

painters
effect brush.

learnt

duce pro-

truly
strokes

by
The

few

terous dex-

masters

of this the

the

Tosa

school,

however,

recognized
had
not

only theoretically. They calligraphic dexterity

to

yet

practise
famous

it. its and its

The

school

has

become the

for

conscientious

details,
its lines and

elegance
touches,
for

beauty

of

THE

FEUDAL

PERIOD

55

brilliant and harmonious reminds

one

of Persian

which colouring, emaille painting.

The

and the strongest hues, brightest

ployed em-

and gold, are red,blue, green, white, The in alltheir intensity.

greater

part of the space

up
some

to

be covered is broken and while patches, is

daubs by variegated broad

mass

of

colour leading

at definiteintervals to interposed always to the whole. solidity impart

virile and melodramatic Their works,

as

full of grace and are theyare at times, the natural manifestation and seem beauty of serene, contented, and happy minds. of colour, and fragile Their gift fragrant trees in bloom,is all as plum and cherry And it is this exquisite their own. gift of theirs which constitutes the principal

charm

of their work.

Fine

and

true

for beauty and flow thoughtheirfeeling of lineswill always theircompobe found, sition is somewhat

awkward.

But

in

56
colour
their

JAPANESE

ART

they

never

strike

false

note.
one

In
can

exquisite blending
read the

of in

tints,
all

easily
which their

delight
that

loveliness of

characterized

particular part

history,shadowed misgivings they depict daimyos.

conscious the clouded
a

only
one

now

and in

then their

by strange
work,
when

feels

the these of

blood-stained

life of the artists

seem

In

pictures
doom and

the that this

the

hung

over

feudal

time,

knowledge
them

their

delineations,
that

ing givis

strange

fascination

irresistible.

Religious painting
exist, but
It Buddhism
to

had

not

ceased

to

had
power,

greatly changed.
and
at
a

aspired

worldly

the this

three time

thousand
dotted the

monasteries

which

slopes
of

of

Hiyeisan,
were a

mountain

northeast embodiment
content

Kyoto,
of

very

material
Not the
were

Buddhist

influence.
weapons,

with of

mere

spiritual

inmates

these

establishments

THE

FEUDAL

PERIOD

57

alwaysreadyon
to don
armour

the smallest
over

provocation
of
to Kyoto,

their monastic frocks

and troop down

to the streets
on

place their
the

swords

whatever

scale of

of the day seemed to them politics most to whom expedient A priesthood of war and warlike a practical knowledge ducive accomplishmentswas vital was not conto the production of important religious paintings. The Japanesenobleman, moreover, had
more

than

mere

tolerance in the

for

other
either

creeds.
a more

Although
or an

main

Buddhist
than

Shintoist,he

also took

interest in the ordinary in and even Confucian moral philosophy of vague speculation, Taoism, that mass and his disciple attributed to Laotze Chwang Chow. The primitive of Kanaoka quently consestyle Temples, of course, languished. built; all sorts of mythological creawere

"

THE

FEUDAL

PERIOD

59

could castle

work

in

perfect security
and dream with

behind

the

walls,
all and

their the

twilight
flowers

dreams,
nature

fragrant
art.

of led
art's

The

Japanese

artist for

an

ideal

existence,

simply
their

living

sake. be

Many
said

of
to

greatest
known

painters nothing
of

may money. With from

have

this
care,

golden
power

leisure
was

and

freedom
fold; ten-

their thus

increased

and

has

been

developed
marvellous

not

merely
in the of

patience
minute

altogether
and
not

most

complete

ing finish-

every

detail,
seldom

merely
and

technical
never
passed, sur-

excellence
but

equalled
power

of
to

delineating
decorative

life,
and the

and

sensitiveness

emotional

suggestion,
in
or

which

placed
of the

Japanese
of any

the

front

rank

artists

age

country.

CHAPTER

III.

THE

RENAISSANCE

Thb

Kano

School

(1400-1750)

[N

misty

mornings

in

spring,

the

Dai-mouji
stands

Mountain,

which the "Silver looks

just
east

back side

of of

Temple exactly
The

"

at

the

Kyoto,

like

massive bears

silver

hieroglyphic.
its

mountain
artificial

upon

slope

peculiar
the Chinese

landmark,

resembling
"

character

signifying
series still of

dai,"

or

great,
in which

formed the of the

by
snow

excavations,
while the

lingers,
is bare. of

surface This

mountain character be for

colossal

white

snow

might Japanese

readily
art,

taken
the
60

as

symbol
of

of the

manipulation

THE

RENAISSANCE

6 1

painter's
Japanese

brush

is
in of

strictly calligraphic.
itself

writing
Some

is

sort

of

painting.
written

the

characters the
trees

of

the
and

language
as

resemble
drawn

bridge posts
And do
not

by

certain of the

artists.

the these

gateways

Japanese
sisting con-

temples

"

quaint constructions,
support
ends

of two
a

pillarsthat
with

tally horizonand
a

lintel
"

projecting
one

tie
some

beam

remind
Chinese

involuntarily
letter, which
the
a

of

colossal

has four ? draws

been sweeps The these

painted

against
by

sky giant

with brush

of vermilion

child, learning

to
a

write, brush,

pictorial signs
the paper,

with

ing holdin

which the
whole the

is absorbent,
arm

his

hand.

Thus,

works, motion
the
can

being got
and the

from wrist

shoulder,
One

elbow,

alike.
influence

readily
of of
a

imagine
writing
child
to

what has in

this
the of

method power

fostering
outlines

seize

the

natural

form.

62

JAPANESE

ART

It free with
same

learns hand.
a

unconsciously
Our pen children
or

to

draw learn and

to

with write

hard hard
at

pencil; they
make The
a

with their young

the first
art

point

attempts
student

drawing.
finds No its of

suddenly
in his hand. in

yielding
wonder

brush he

placed
is

that

awkward,

and

manipulation

lutely absoa

incapable
Japanese,
learnt The for
an

competing
as a

with

who value

already
of

child

has

the

touches.

calligraphic dexterity,as
in the with
cranes

displayed, Saitoshy,
is

instance,
inheritance

of

the

Japanese

artist.
as

His he

fingers work
delineates
a

almost

mechanically,
the of

flying bird,
the colours
or

vegetation
sea,

of

mountains,

the

the
of

shape
flowers. have in
was

of branches, Generations
him of

the of

spring-burst
skilled
workmen and

given
marvels

their his

cunning,
brush in

revive What

the

work. the

conscious

effort

beginning

THE

RENAISSANCE

63

became

unconscious,
in close
were

instinctive, almost
centuries.

automatic,
At

later
of

the

the

fourteenth foremost
China

century,

the of

Chinese the

still the

painters
its

Eastern

world. the
an

reached

prime during
It

Sung
era

dynasty (961-1 280).

as

had

been

conspicuous

for

the

development

of

great

individualities,

innovating

statesmen,

constructive and of

losophe phioriginal

inspired poets,
artists, as
civilization. No wonder that
a

that

of

any

period

European

great
the in

wave

of

Chinese

influence

passed

over

Japanese
every and

islands,

deeply
way.

affecting
Not

it

conceivable

only

laws

sciences,
most
as

but

the
the in

material

civilization, and,
of the and and

of

all,

thoughts
its

nation,

expressed

philosophy

literature, profited

by

Chinese

teaching
the

example.
artists the of

Inspired by
chow,
a new

great

Hangof

school, with

aim

tech-

64

JAPANESE

ART

nically equalling
was

the

Chinese very
soon

masters,
to
pass sur-

founded,
the former

destined
native In

schools

in

merit the

and

renown.

Kanaoka's themselves of

time,

painters
to

had the

devoted

pally princigods
and

representation
the feudal

heroes;
and

during

period
the

warfare jects; sub-

still life had

now

become and

leading

animals

landscapes

came

more

in The

evidence.
Cho the
name

figure painter,
known

Densu

(1351-

1427), also
and who Kano his in
two

by

Meitshyo,
and

pupils, Josetsou
had
two
were

Shubun,
and

turn

pupils,
the

Sotan

Massanobu,
of

principal
As each for
a

stigato inof few

the

movement.

these

men

taught,
rivals of

there Tosa

existed

years,
as

as

the

school, almost
But,
another had if in the the

many

distinct

schools.
one

chiefs
nature

differed
of their
manner,

from

genius, they
the
same

adopted

the

same

subjects, the

THE

RENAISSANCE

6$
that

same

general principles ;
blended of of Kano. school of In the colour into The
was

so

they
"

soon

became school

one

school

the

leading
the
to

istic character-

this

absolute

ordinatio sub-

design.
school
was

beginning,
black

the and
or

voted dean

entirely to
occasional
colour
as

white, with
some

use

of bistre

other
In its

faint

uniting

half-tone.
use

later
and

development,
tried
to

it made the of Tosa and that school

of

colour,
in
a

rival

painters
brilliant in

lavish
It and colourin the

application
can

gold
said

tints.

even

be the

Yeitaku

Korin ists

Kano
as

produced
Nobuzane

almost

great

as

thirteenth
Cho

century. Densu,
a

Kyoto
of the

priest, was
Kanaoka

the

great
He
art.

revivalist

school.
sacerdotal

devoted He
was

himself
one

entirely to
of

the

few

Japanese
of
a

painters
heroic

who

attempted
His
"

pictures
of

size.

Death

Sakia,"

still

THE

RENAISSANCE

67

which

greattechnician. He abolished the use of the fine, round, brushes of the Tosa school, and pointed
prove him to be
a

and constructed brushes with broader and vital powerful, His line, rect full of personality. a ditouch, of the studyof Wutaotz, outcome of celebrated as the greatest painter China, varied with each object drawn, without losing the strength and boldness of his own He triedto sugindividuality. gest flattersurfaces. He had
a

with every stroke of his brush

the

of houses, line-characteristics rocks, leading marsh grass,etc. trees, Sotan and Kano Massapupils, his methods, and Saomi nobu, perfected which has wrote a hand-book on painting His

become classical. Another

great man

of this movement,

Sesto native authority, was according A biographer shin (1421-1507). informs

us

that :

68

JAPANESE

ART

"He

did

not

follow but His after in

in

the

footsteps
a

of

the

ancients,
to

developed
power which flowers in the and
was

style
est great-

peculiar
in
most

himself.

landscape,
in

he and

excelled

then figures,
was

birds

and of

he
oxen,

also

skilful

delineation

horses,

dragons,
and with of the this

tigers.
he

In

drawing

figures
his sketch and

animals,
a

pleted com-

single

stroke

of the he

brush,

style of working

is considered He

originator."
silk

painted
to
a

on

white brown His certain

panels,

toned

down with

light

tinge, exclusively
work
is able remarkof his

Chinese for

ink.

leaving

portions
He

pictures entirely unpainted.

at

arrived

great perfection in this style,and

for

often,
of

as,
a

instance,
the
an

in

the

neck of

and

breast

bird, gave
of his

illusion

modelling
of made
a

by

means

entire

absence he

touches.
use

In

winter

landscapes,
itself
to

of

the

silk

ground

give

faithful

THE

RENAISSANCE

69
of snow,

rendering
trees

of the and

whiteness

ing cover-

roofs.
years

In

his

earlier

he
a

went

to

China,
among

and, full of
their
most

zeal, sought
renowned the

teacher

masters.

His

terity dex-

astonished found
ordered before but
to

Chinese
teach
at

artists,who
him.
He
to
was

little to
the
court

Peking
to

paint
prise sur-

the
of the of with

emperor,

and,
he

the

great

sovereign,
silk
a

produced
surrounded

upon with of his

piece

dragon,
or

clouds,
brush.
he had

three

four with

splashes
the
to

Disgusted
received, he
to

instruction
his native

returned in the

land, resolved

take

future

lessons
trees.

only
And and lead.

from it is
trees

the

mountains,

rivers, and

especially in mountains,
that his is the

rivers,
his

disciples followed angular

nervous

His

line
with

and force

rugged,
of the

vibrating
artist's

hand.

The

subjects preferred

by

the

Kano

70

JAPANESE

ART

masters

were

the romantic

portraits

of

legendary
soi-disant

personages,

landscapes,
and

Chinese,
endowed

and with

animals
a

plants, generally
or

symbolical
of all of

emblematic
find their

meaning.
place
but in

Saints
the works of

orders the Kano

school,
in

instead

mystic beings,
show
to
us

throned
a sion succes-

ethereal
of round appears The

regions, they

gods, belonging

the

common

of life,or far from Kano

affecting asceticism
austere.
at

which

school

the
It

start
was

had

no

reformatory
meant

aspirations^
return to

simply

for
Densu

the

religious period. honestly

to

Cho
in

endeavoured of
to
see

paint

the

manner

the life

early through
as

Buddhistic

painters, and
eyes.
case

primitive
the
to

But

the

school,

is

generally proved

with
a

revival

movements,

be

renaissance.
fifteenth Kano

The and

century,

when

Sesshin
is
con-

Massanobu

painted,

Massanobu.
"

Portrait

of

the

Actor,

Ichikawa

Danjuro

THE

RENAISSANCE

7 classical
was one

sidered

the
of
supreme

purest,

the
art.

most

period
those

Japanese

It

of

occasions itself for

a

when
brief struck

the

human
to
a

soul,
rare

raising heights
heat

period
out

of

fusion, has
the

at

white The

for

revelation
of this the

of

pure

art.

opponents
it for

school, of

course,

reproached
respect
Chinese

almost
to

superstitious
art

its artists civilization

paid
in for
own

Chinese
But

and

general.
China
was

these
a

painters' adoration
pretext
for

merely
of in

their their
found with
a own

idealization ideals

art.

They
minds,

had
but

ready
to

their

it

necessary of

fortify

themselves

code

precise rules,
them,

and,
went

as

China the for

could

furnish
of the and

they

to

painters

Hangchow
instruction.
the

period
And Chinese that the

inspiration
is
no

there

doubt that

that, without
vigour of

influence,

lines,
reveals

spontaneity painter
more

of

touch,

which than
the

plainly

object

72

JAPANESE

ART

painted,
of one's of

which nature,

appeals
which,
the

to

the
a

manlier

side
verse

like

simple
of the

Omar,
of

knocks

gate
that take have
a

dom king-

mystery

ajar,so
and

one's peep been

tion imaginainto the

might tiptoe mystic beyond,

in the Let into the
a

would

dwarfed

Japanese
me now

painter.
try
the
to

initiate

my

reader of

few

of

technical

mysteries
is the The carry
a

artist's

profession, which
of

leading nese Japaall his

characteristic

this

school.
could in

painter

easily
goods
so

worldly
and very has

artistic done

handkerchief,
to

invariably, even

this

day.
is first which
are a

There

small
as

roll

made

of

fine
in

bamboo,
which the bowls for

serves

porte-crayon,

brushes ink-dish the

; two

of
;

various three
or

sizes; then
four small
one

Chinese in which colour

colours
or

are

mixed,
small

each

three of

parcels
two

containing

fresh

supplies

paint;

THE

RENAISSANCE

73

large

bowls
laid
are

of

water,
upon

plate, and
the

piece
In

of paper

out
some

floor.
of

the

parcels
and

small red

sticks
a

brown of boge, gam-

indigo,
and These
a

some

dye,
of

lump

quantity
colours,

small the

white

lets. pel-

with

Chinese white
is and the

ink, make

up

the

palette.
before is

The

only

mixed

just
skill

being

used,
both in

considerable

necessary
of it. The very then

mixing
first small melted

and

the
and

use

pellets are
fine with
mixed with and
a a

crushed

ground
and

glass pestle, gelatine, being

a

with little

the

whole,

water,
into have

afterward

ground
till all The

rubbed of

thick

paste

traces

grit
thus
once

disappeared.
is

pigment
when it has, every it is it

prepared
becomes
to

quite
and

useless hard
;

dry
mixed the
care

therefore,

be
to

afresh
with its

for which

picture; prepared

but
are

due

both in the

brilliancy and
This

its permanence

picture.

durability

is

74

JAPANESE

ART

essential,
and it is

as

the

pictures
after very that

are

kept

rolled,
of
gins be-

only

many the

years white
or

rolling
to

and show

unrolling signs
power

of

perishing

ing. peelwhite,
but in the with iar familfalls duced proof

The
not

of

manipulating
colour inheritance

in

simple
is

body
an

only,

thin

washes,

from familiar

Chinese.
the oldest with from the

Those Buddhist the

who

are

pictures
veil
a

will be
often

filmy
of

which

head
the
on

divinity, and possible

the of other
any

is wash

by
white without The in of

thinnest
over

laid

all

colours,
kind. and of
a

blur
paper

or

running
is

slightly toned,
about the

made sheet

small

pieces
If

size
are

foolscap.
are

larger pieces
with

required
It is in

they
the that

joined

rice

paste.

rapidly

absorbent artists

quality of
have

this paper
most

Japanese

found the

of

and their difficulties,

it is from

methods that

adopted

to

overcome

these

difficulties

THE

RENAISSANCE

75 characteristics The
of

most

of

the
art

essential have

Japanese
ence

sprung.

absorband done
tions correc-

is

midway
papers;

between what be
done

blotting
has
to

unglazed
must,

be

therefore,
are

quickly;

almost

impossible.
of

Also
our

washes

colour

as

executed
are

by
of the

Western But

water-colours the

out at

question.
of

Japanese
in his the be
own

gets

tions gradaThe
a

colour

way.
enable
reserve

peculiar shape supply

the

of
to

brushes held
tone

of

water

in

at

hinge,
taken

the up for

full
at

required
The

only
of

being
a

the

point.
is

side

feather,

instance,

being

drawn.
a

Directly
pressure brush shades

the

gradation
the the
to

is wanted,

little the and

brings
into off
A

thicker
water

part
escapes,

of

play,
the
tone

the

required lightness.
in

regular
mist

trick

is used
the
moon moon.

painting
To

melting

around

get
in

this, the

circle

of

the

is

struck

76
with
a

JAPANESE

ART

compass,

one

leg

of This of

which
is the

holds

brush

full the any cloud

of

water.

passed
moon,

around

silhouette hard
which

whereby fleecy
is

line is

prevented.
the

The
moon

obscures

obtained of

by
paper,

first and and

damping putting again

the
on

whole washes before

sheet of

water,

colour,

water

it is It methods and

quite dry.
is

obvious,
very
come

however,

that
can

with be

these

little colour these

which

used,
light moon-

thence effects

pale, misty
we

with

are

so

miliar. fa-

The has which ways: full of

semi-absorbent for in the

quality of
the many

the

paper

compensated
are

difficulties

set

artist's

path
with
a a

in

two

to

the

lines, drawn

brush

Chinese

ink, it imparts
moreover,

certain

crispness, and,
work,
which of

it has
a

compels

rapid
a tainty cer-

necessity
touch and

produced

dexterity

of

exe-

THE

RENAISSANCE

^^

cution,
of the

wherein
motion excel

lies which in

much

of

the

secret
so

Japanese

artists

greatly
The

portraying.
are,

pictures
on

however,
for
a

invariably
work

painted

silk
over

prepared
with surface

by

being
which that The of

rubbed makes

fine

powder,
like

the paper.

very

much

the

brushes those white

are,

of

course,

of the

various

sizes, but
black about the and the

with

which
are

ordinary
are

pictures
of

painted
little
an

thickness
with and hair

the

finger
and ingly exceedtion construcas

at
a

hinge,

about

inch
an

quarter

long

running
This
finest
to

to

fine allows broadest

same

point.
the

peculiar
as

well

the the

strokes brush.

be

executed

with

And let paper the

now,
us

having
see

described artist
at

his work.

rials, mate-

the

The
at

lies
four

on

the

floor, with
The artist

weights
kneels

corners.

in

Mokk"

"

Tiger.

THE

RENAISSANCE

79

The but

students

did
in of

not

draw

from
out

nature,
an

devoted

day

and

day

during
to
a

apprenticeship exacting
student of
some

eight
of

years

most

study began

old

masters.
a

The

by making
a

careful
master

study
like
he copy,

picture, by
or

Chinese
after his

Mokk^
made

Bunjin

Jen,
from

which
own

several he

copies
had with made

and, when

himself

thoroughly
and
a

acquainted
stroke copy of

every

detail

every final

the
was

original, he
submitted the
same

made
to

which

the

teacher's
was

judgment
treated and
so

Then in
on.

next

picture
then

the

way;

the

next,

These
may from
can

repetitions
vain from

of

the

same

subject

be the

view-point
of accuracy

of

originality,
their method value

view-point
be has

hardly

overrated. been

This

of
out to
or

instruction
to

carefully worked
made
a

the

smallest

detail, and
line in

subject
back

rule.

For

every

bird's

8o

JAPANESE

ART

claw,
a

certain

position
of

of the

the

hand

and have

certain found be The

inclination
to

brush and and

been
must

be

necessary,

they
bered. remem-

learnt,
curves

acquired,
and

swells way.
or

cannot

be every
a

accomplished
broad certain the
to

in in

any

other

For the the

mark

the

body
colour

wing,
point
of water
a tain cer-

intensity of
and in
a

at

of

brush
be

certain
at

quantity
the

held
pressure

reserve

hinge,

of
a

the

fingers holding
motion
or

the

brush
arm,
are

and

certain

of colour

the

entire will
not
a

necessary, off of

the

shade series

properly,
hard

and

there instead is
no

will of

be

smudges
There

mated aniway
are

feathers. of
no

other
as

getting
other

these

feathers, just
will the tell

there

lines

which

so

simply
as

of

the

bird's

flight in
to

air.
a

And

the

desired deviation
be

accuracy, of
a

which
proves the

hairbreadth's
can

line

fatal,

only

acquired by practice,

long

appren-

THE

RENAISSANCE

ticeship entirely devoted

of when minute the

to

free itself. of and learn and his

cation appliBut

brush
and
a

explains
hundred
are

these

other
membered re-

instructions
"

learnt
to

and until second may

as

he every

has

and device

master

them become

trick
to

has the air

nature

hand

"

student
as

paint
master.

bird

cleaving

the

well

any
no

There

is

doubt off

that

such all

minute
buds and and of that far
are

training lops genius

the but the who
But

ruthlessly

very

strongest,
are

artists

survive
those who

few do

between.

survive No vie

veritable

wizards
to

of the be
so

brush.
can

pean Eurowith

master,
them and with None with
sweeps
a

sure,

in

putting
into
an

much the
same

information,
space

life,

humour
so

of paper of

small of
our

expenditure

labour.
realize and
re-

water-colourists marvellous

can

few of

strokes, dabs,
such

the

brush

astonishing

82

JAPANESE

ART

suits

as

Motonobu

(the

son

of

Massa-

nobu),
known

Sauraku,
as

Yeitoku,
of three and and

Takonobu, great

the

father

ers, paint-

Tanyu,
better whose and
one

Naonobu,
as

Yasunobu, Tchiokuvan,
pure

known

Yeishi,
of any of
2-

delineations white without

birds, in

black
remind

gradations,

involuntarily
Motonobu

Diirer's
1

woodcuts.
was a

(145

490)
of the

most

vigorous manipulator
could

brush.

He

give
of any

the

effect

and with stroke

a

general
few

ance appearof each of

object
each

strokes

the
curve

brush,
has

but
a

tells,and

meaning.
with in melon. of fruit.
man

This very

capacity

expressing
effort is

much shown

little apparent of
a

the A

figure
few

bird
press ex-

perched
the

on

strokes and

turn

the

bird's

body,

the

shape
But

of the if any

should

ever

be with

envied
which

for
he

the

felicityand
his

precision
it is

handled

brush,

Tanyu

(1601-

THE

RENAISSANCE

83
of

1674), the
He
was

greatest
the

technician

them

all.
of

impressionistic delineator
submarine
of the

horses,
and

of

dragons,
beasts His

creatures,

various

mythological
four lions

zoology.
painted
can

masterpiece,
ink
at
on

in

Clynese
seen

wooden of

panels,
Nikko.
at

still be
his

the

temple

Also

two

coloured of

dragons
the
same

the

principal gateway
have aroused the A

temple
of many his of
a

admiration collection the

a

connoisseur.

of end

cipal printhe

works,

published

eighteenth century, gives

remarkable
curves.

fair idea
a

of his of
at

talent. His

He
can

was

virtuoso

style by
line.

be

recognized

the

first

glance
of his

the

peculiar slap-dash
suggestiveness
from breadth hairnever

quality
of his

The

line, sometimes
to

ranging
of
an

the

width
He sweeps he

inch, has
draw the
a

been in

surpassed.
or

could of

horse
;

three of

four
crane

brush

the

body

realized

in two

strokes,

THE

RENAISSANCE

85
think
wants

which
If

sets

the

mind

to

and
to

dream.

the

Japanese
cranes,

artist
he

depict

flight of
more,

draws

half-doren look

or

which which with

on

at

the
closer

first

glance
are

alike,
dowed en-

but

scrutiny

each their all

an

individuality of
perspective
and

own.

He

foregoes
;

other
in

expedients
clear

he in
an

simply represents
a

them
or

outlines
curve
on

diagonal
empty
upon

line

ing sweepand of

background,
the

relies
forms.

for A
at
or

his

effect

repetition

Western
a

artist

would
with

expand
a

this,

least, into
cloud

picture
as

scape landto

effect

background;
in the and would
an narrow

the

Japanese

artist, working
custom

bounds all

prescribed by
such knows

tion, tradiappear

attempts
that
more

futile ; he be

such

event

not can-

expressed

forcibly
objects

than

by only

simply
a

depicting

the in

with

slight variation
The first form

their

representation.
us

introduces

to

the

86

JAPANESE

ART

subject, its
second and
a

appearance the the in

and
same

action;

the

accentuates

impressions
of

heightens slight
variation

feeling
its

reality by
and
bling resem-

appearance

action;
at

and the
a

every first

following form, glance

a

silhouette,
the
ceding pre-

is

simply
one;

commentary
and

upon

all

together
of

represent,
the

so

to

say,

multiplication

original

idea. And lines in and the

same
manner as

they

treat

masses,

they
often

vary

colour each

schemes, other,
varied the

which

resemble

but
in

are,

nevertheless,
and

endlessly
not
are

shade of of of

line.

And

only

elements
the law

composition

guided
the
tive crea-

by

repetition, but
the artists.
one

also As find

power
as

ible inexhaust-

it seems,

will certain

that
of

they
jects. sub-

have

always
For

treated

lines have

instance,
on a

they

painted
fir

crow

sitting

snow-covered

THE

RENAISSANCE

87

branch,
thousand
has it
a

with

the

full but

moon

behind,

times;
the

every has

painter
tried
the
to

who lend

handled
new

subject

individuality. Only
the
are same.

subject
and with
ception con-

remains

Treatment

invariably changed
of the

the ized, real-

personality by
that
a a

artist.

They

have

never

tiring study
idea that lend
a

of variation,
remains
as a

beautiful

always
it takes
new

beautiful creative
old

idea, and
power
as

much
to
an

to to

charm
execute

theme

produce
one,

and

an

apparently
prove The of that
as an

new

which,

after

all, may

old

one.
.

year

1603

marks

the

beginning

wonderful the

political organization

known years

Takugawa
nobles,
or

Shogunate.

For

the
all

local

daimyos, defying
had
one

control in

by

the

government,

engaged
another

continual
and of

struggles
power,

with
a

for lands condition

and

able lamentthe

anarchy

had

been

88

JAPANESE

ART

result warrior
after the of
a

Takigawa
and
statesman

Yyeyosu,
Japan
which

the

greatest
has
seen,

sharp
of

struggle,
his

ended
in the
to

in

defeat

opponents,

battle

Sekighara, finallysucceeded authority,

and caused

the

preme su-

himself

to

be

appointed
Mikado
the of of

Shogun
of the

(z. e. regent) by

the

puppet

day.
of this

By
system

organization
feudal

remarkable
"

government,
which
the nation
two

the

nasty dy1867,

Shoguns
which

lasted

until

"

under

enjoyed
a

peace
ries, centu-

and

prosperity Yyeyosu

for

and for which of

half

solved

his will

day

and

country

the

problem
the
end

occupy the due

politicians to apportionment
At
no

time, of
and

of control

local authority.
of

previous
the
power

period
of the

Japanese
ment governin all
sential es-

history was
more

central

maintained effectively

matters,
the

although
allowed

in
a

other

respects
measure

daimyos

were

large

THE

RENAISSANCE

89
Under this
in

of

independent
Japan

action.

gime re-

increased and

amazingly
made

wealth

and in

population,
all the
As
a

great

progress

arts

and

civilization.
the
new

consequence,
rose

capital

of

Yedo
To the

(Tokyo)

rapidly
of the of

to

importance.
tury, cen-

beginning
the old

seventeenth which of been and of the

city
the

Kyoto,

had
kado Mi-

always enjoyed
and

presence

his
centre

palaces, had
of culture her fruits The

ered consid-

the
now

art, but

Yedo her
and

became all the of art.

rival, and
of

gathered
ature, litertheir
lation regu-

unto

learning, of daimyos
and

retainers, the
to

samurai,
a

compelled
of the year
to to at

by
in

live its

part

Yedo,
a

increasing

population

least
about

million, materially helped

this

bring

displacement
centre

of

the

artistic and
were

ary liter-

of and

Japan.
an

They

all fond

of

luxury
for

easy-going
of the eye and

life,

ever

hungry

delights

elegant

90

JAPANESE

ART

pleasures,
this need

and

as

it is

only

necessary
to
a

in
a

accommodating
when

world

express
means

somebody
the
new

provides

to
crowded over-

satisfy it,

city

was

soon

with

curio-shops, workshops
artists'

of

artisans, and

studios.
to

Kyoto
artistic

continued

be

place

of
an

some

activity,it
"palace

even

developed
and
all

clusive ex-

literature
to

art," but
the

Yedo talents cradle

attracted of of of
a

itself

rising
the

the
new

country,
form of

and
art.

became The
was

higher
rendered

degree

civilization, which
an

possible by
and
a a

improved

administration included
cation of edu-

more

settled

government,
extended

far

more

widely
the
not

system
had
were ever

than

country

known
humbler

before.
classes for
so

And better many

to

only

the

educated,
years the had

the

culture, which
almost

belonged
and

exclusively
class, had

noble its way

knightly
the

worked

into

hum-

THE

RENAISSANCE

bier
a

huts,

and

had

created of
more

in

the

masses

certain also could and

appreciation
had grown in the

the

beautiful.
prosperous, of

They
and books

indulge
works
no

luxury

buying

of art. addressed

Artists

longer
to

themselves

exclusively
people

the

cultured
The

class, but
was a

the gular sinnew

generally.
form of

result

art,

vacillating between
to

and

old

ideals, trying

please

the of

mon com-

people

by

the

introduction

cratic demothe

elements,
nobler class of

without

offending

society.
to

They
popular
Cranes
us
"

began

paint
like

pictures
the
"

of

tendency,
and in
"

Hundred

Thousand every

Carps," showing

cranes

imaginable

position, eating,
"

flying, fixed swimming,

or a
"

in
and

the all
carp,

air, standing,

faultlesslydrawn,
as one

shoal

of the about

might
an

see

it

through

glass
it in

of all

aquarium,
of

floundering

kinds

posi-

THE

RENAISSANCE

93

the

followers

of

the

Tosa

and

Kano

schools.
The age of the

Takugawa
on

Shogunate
lent schools
couragement en-

could

pride

itself
to

having
distinct
one

three fourth

of

painting, and
into had

that

just

came

evidence.
no

The

Buddhistic but
to

school
were

great
men

exponent,
who

there

still many and Cho

adhered

Kanaoka's

Densu's
Tosa

principles.
was

The
the the

school

represented

by

miniaturist

Mitsuoky,
flower

(1616-1691),
Japan
of has

greatest

painter
were

produced.
and
were

His
of

ideals
colour.

purity
flower
and

line

purity
models

His

pieces

of

elegance,
some

invariably
sentiment.
has

endowed

with

tender

The
to

austerity of
the
sweetness

mediaevalism
and

yielded

fancy

of

triumphal
of

epoch, losing thereby nothing

but and

its

nity, dig-

gaining something

of

gentleness

tranquillity.

94

JAPANESE

ART

The

Kano
was

school

was

in

its

prime.
His

Tanyu
brother,
for of
one

famous
Naonobu
to

all

over

Japan.

(1607-165
energy last

1), laboured
with

years

combine
at

delicacy
He

touch,
of

and the

succeeded.
of

is the

most

individual
His for the of
sun

all of

artists

of

his

race.

picture
is
one

monkey
the best

groping
known the

of
art.

pictures
man

Japanese
of the
women

Yeishi,

youngest

ous illustriwith

Takanobu
a

family, painted
and
a more

greater

refinement of

thorough they
had

understanding
ever

drapery
before.

than

been What
a

painted

flapping parody
of
one
"

in

comparison

is

the

grace of

Japanese
our

lady
day

in

the

canvas

of La

latter du

artists,
de la

christened Porcelaine
A
men renown

Princesse

Pays

!"

equal

to

that

of

these also

three called

was

enjoyed by Shioukada,
who

Shojo,

died

in

1639.

He

favoured

THE

RENAISSANCE

95

large compositions
His washes
were

and

pale,

flat
pure

tints.
and
a

remarkably
sometimes

expressive.
of

They

cover

face sur-

several
even,

square

feet, and
almost

yet

are

perfectly

melting

unnoticeHis volumes works in

ably
have

into been

the

background.
in
two

published

Yedo,
In created
were

1804.
the
a

fifteenth
new

century

the

artists

had

style, while
classic latter

thinking
but it

they
was

imitating
before the real ideal

models,
of the

not

part

sixteenth in
a

when

the

renaissance
was

set

and

the

classical

followed

by

realistic

tendency.
The
sixteen years of the Genroku been the riod pepared com-

(1688-1703)
to

which of the

have

the

age and of

Pericles,
Venetian
art

days
were

of

Louis
the Art

XV.,

prime,
and have
were

heyday
and

Japanese
seemed way.

culture.
thing everymasters

culture
own

to

their

There

96

JAPANESE

ART

in every branch

of art.

Bashio wrote
has been

his
pared com-

poetry; Chikamitsu,who
to

had his plays Shakespeare, formed perin Yedo. was represented Pottery by Ninsei and Kenzan, architecture by the great Zingaro, sculpture by Ritsuo, and the metallurgic art by Somin. The great genius of the periodwas of the Korin (1661-1716). He was one first to break away
was

from

the
not

classical
a

ideals. There
of

about him

trace

rules or traditions. Whatever arbitrary he imaginedhe produced immediately fashion without in a wild improvisatore himself how it was done,as long troubling it producedan effect. He was a great as colourist. His sketches in black and gold certain over powder beingsprinkled (gold introduced a style parts of the drawing), ful wonderare by Sotatsu fifty years before, feats of execution. Although best he also achieved great known as a painter,

-^

" H oti O

"
u H U

on

THE

RENAISSANCE

97

triumphs
classed in

as

lacquerer.
list
of very

He those
excess

has

to

be

the

eccentric
of their

geniuses who,

by

the
to

individuality,fail
at

put

their

real

talent

its full value. Of

an

equally
was

radical

but

more

cal practi-

mind

Okyo

(i732-1

795),

the

painter
little

of

morning

mists, of
and
apes.

cranes,

fish,
lished estab-

dogs, stags
the

He in
a

so-called
1750.

"natural" He
was

Shijo
ler stick-

school
for from his

about

great

truth,

resolved without

to

paint
to

directly

nature,

trying
could
not

embellish
escape and his

work.
;

But he
was

he
a

genius

poet
became His

by

nature,

his
even

interpretations against
a

poetical compositions

his

will.

sess posease,
are

charming
of
a

delicacy, a
attitude;

gracious
but

naturalness
in his the

they
;

conceived
he
nor

superficial manner
school inner
were ever

neither able
to

represent

life,

or

the

pro-

THE

RENAISSANCE

99

ing

through
of the

the

pine-needles,
waters out

and
seems

the
to

purity
wash soul.

sparkling
elements
"room

all
In

vulgar
the

of the

human

of

agriculture," he
the

painted
rice the
In
"

upon

sixteen the the

panels
and and he

history

of in

from
to

sowing
harvest

planting

field the
on
"

the

gathering.
all his

peacock
a

room,"

lavished
under of
care

skill
trees.

pair

of

peacocks
critic
I

two

pinetion decora-

A
"

native

said
not

this how
cram

No

king,

do he

great
under

and
a crown

rich

in power one-tenth which

be, could

of the

imperial
painted
two
"

airs into

and the

splendour

Okyo
of these

majestic carriage
The work
"

peacocks."
is the of

room

of
two

ambassadors favourite and warrior's

joint

of the

pupils
Kamaoka

Okyo,
Kirei.

Yamanato On
one

Shurei side the

a

messenger
on

proaches apother
to

king's castle, granting

embassy.
an

the

the

queen

is

audience

the

ladies

of the

lOO

JAPANESE

ART

How his

Okyo, after all,took seriously art, is shown by the following story,

to every

known
and
as

educated person
I conclude

in

Japan,

with which
it is

this

chapter,

and perpatience severance which Japanese artists, ticularly parhave always of this period, strated demonof their vocation : in the pursuit favourite resort favourite of the wild boars haunt of

of typical

the

The
was

also the
cave

Okyo.

The had

in the rock, which with

a

the stream

dug
a

its

found chisel, crystal

on itself,

fine

summer

day,converted
master.

into

nature-made

studio for the

sat in his
at

he Day after day, lookingout always

cave-studio,
terns pat-

the tremulous

which

the sun,

throughthe sieving
the with

wove pine-needles,

upon

ground

and

on

boar, all covered

a

mud, taking

fashion. For hours royal the sleeping and hours he watched boar, fine summer on a and, finally, twilight
his siesta in

THE

RENAISSANCE

lOI

hour,
up

he

gathered
I do many
not

his
not

courage know

and how

took many of

his

brush.
how I do

sketches,
the
"

studies, he
know how many the

made hours

boar;
at

the
was

close

of

day

when

mountain
of

silence
needles

full of the

whisperings
in

pine-

"

he

had the

spent
hunters

his
of

cave-studio.

One
were

night,
very

Hozu
to

village
a

much

surprised
around

welcome

strange
The life folks much

guest

their

evening
them love them of for

fire. the the how

pation. occu-

strange
of the of he the

guest mountain,
woods: envied

spoke
of he their took

to

his

told

had
At

open-air
out
a

last, he
of his

from

the paper.
saw
a

breast When

folds
he of

kimono

roll of

unrolled the do wild you dead

it, the
boar. think
boar ? said. the of

hunters

picture
"What

it? you

Is

it the
it

picture
is dead

of ?
"

Do

think

the
a

visitor

Without

word,

hunters

looked

I02

JAPANESE

ART

upon

it.

They
then
to
a

seemed bolder
common

little

puzzled
them

at

first,and
gave
"

one

among
sentiment:

voice

the I

Why,

yes,
the

guess

it is dead."
went

And every

visitor the

away.
saw

Almost the
same

day,

hunters

stranger
every of the

around

their

evening
flames and upon The

fire.
the
a

And eyes clever asked

night

the

pine

hunters of
a

kindled boar.

picture
them the

dead

visitor

the

same

question
gave him in the shades
;

every

time, and
that
nor were

hunters

answers

different And

neither

words

intent.
went

sadly always,
way into he
came

visitor
of

his But
as

lonely
one

the

night.
with He

night
the

brought
a

him,

usual,
the the
answer. same

picture
old

of

boar.

asked
But

question
did
not

of the him

hunters.
the

hunters

give

wonted

"Why,

no!"

they said,
is

"this

boar

is

alive; it's asleep, that

all."

THE

RENAISSANCE

IO3

And

light
he
of

came

into his In

the way every

to

eyes
all

of

the

visitor, and
the
answer

made Hozu.
was

through
the
the away of

village

cottage
him
went
was

which And Hozu

given
the
man

same.

in

who the

from that of

village, in
one

fading
the very

hours

night,

could
an

see

picture

triumph,
And that knew Hozu

of is

exceeding
the

great

joy.
Now

story
well

they

tell.

Okyo
of taint could
at

very

that

those the

hunters thinnest

village,

without
or

of academic

culture

of and

schooling,
that, too,
whether the
a

tell

at

single glance,
of

the

distance
or

many

yard,
when that

boar

is dead of

alive.
told
a

And
him

sensus con-

opinion
of he

his

picture
he for
was

was

the
sure

picture
that the

sleeping boar,
had

quite

achieved,
the

the
and

first time, very and

feat

of

painting

fine

delicate

distinction
life.

between

death

sleeping

CHAPTER

IV.

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

The

Ukio-ye

School

(i 700-1867)

OWARD

the

middle the

of

the

enteenth sev-

century
traces

first
of

faint

of

an

influence

ern WestThe

pictorial
artist
of the Iwasa

art

became

palpable.
was

Matahei who of

probably
in his from

one

first
laws

got

interested

dental occiedge knowl-

composition,

being
copper

gathered
which had

largely
the

stray

engravings
Dutch traders Also

Portuguese
with various he rich them

and
to

brought
made the

Japan.
in

Okyo

tempts at-

imitating

Dutch;
for
a

even

copied
of

several

engravings

teur ama-

Nagasaki.
104

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

IO5

Although
start
no

these

experiments
efifect
to
on

had

at

the

decided

the it

Japanese
more

style, they
more

helped
the

free

and
dition. tra-

from The

shackles
artists
were

of

Chinese
initiated

into

the

laws first

of

perspective
in

and

ing, foreshorten-

put

practice
and from

by

Kokan became
nature

of
quainted ac-

Nagasaki

(i747-1818),
with the

study

and Shi-

life

as

practised by Western
Oado,
the
most

artists.

bukohan,
became innovation.
Iwasa

and

the

lacquerer

Kenzan of this

ardent

champions

Matahei, 1640,
He
ever

who

became
his first
to

famous range of

about

only changed
was

subjects. painter
who

the

Japanese
jects subworthy un-

tried

represent
deemed of

which

predecessors
art:

of life.
rank himself One and

the
common

scenes

every-day
without threw of

of

the

people,
of blood, into

without

pride

he

whole-heartedly

the

study

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

IO7

his

colouring
more

is
for

not

of

the
than

simplest,
the

striving
of Toil
was

richness

gance ele-

monochrome. the

only

reward

for
to

his take

work. self him-

Without

vanity,ever
our

refusing
American
fond

seriously, like
Gustav
fun have that of

painter,
of that he be

Verbeck,
any

always

making might
wished fied. satisrow, to-mor-

ambitious
in his

dreams

sprouted
he,
and he

head,

alone,
on

might becoming

To-day
and

kept

always
as

he
to

went

on

without
or

taking

thoughts
He
was

his

food

ment. rai-

always
did
reason

satisfied cry
to

as

long
too

as

his

stomach The
to

not

him
so

loudly.
difficult

why
a

it

is

very his could

find

kakemono
because that least work lack of

with he

signature
so

upon

it, is

rarely persuade
man's his his
name

himself
"

it is worth of all
"

any

while

his
the This

to

sign
from

to

that

came

brush.

signature

I08

JAPANESE

ART

has of

been latter

an

eternal But

regret
this made that

to

the

critics of

days.
has

absence his of

nature sig-

really
than the
a

work
many has

better

recognizable
artists, and
and the
over

other told
over

at

same

time

again
ideals

very

eloquent

story
which

of he

high
ever

held

by Matahei,
to

had
made

striven him and

attain,

which and
a

had
happy, un-

always
which

dissatisfied made him

also grew.
a

better

artist

as

the

days
exerted

Matahei
upon his

considerable

ence influand of

succeeding
out

generations, by
two
men

principles,carried
Moronobu

genius,
busa their

(1638-1714)
both became gave
"

and famous

Hana-

Itcho, who
genre
or

by
the

paintings,
"

rise
school.

to

Ukio-ye
however,

common

This,
until

was

not

fully

established
1700,

fiftyto
the artist

sixty

years

later, about
of

by
great
sym-

contemporaries

Okyo,
not

the in

who,

although

fully

THE

REAUSTIC

MOVEMENT

IO9

pathy
the

with

the
to

Ukio-ye
the Kano

painters,
school

dealt his

death-blow

by

innovations.
About vogue.
art.

1680,
It

wood-engraving
to

came

into

greatly helped
artists, unable

popularize satisfy
the the

The

to

demand
process

for of many

kakemonos,

welcomed with

reproduction
of them of

enthusiasm,
illustrators.
never

and

turned life
on a

Many
dared be
to

phases

they

had could

represent
with the

kakemono in the

expressed
as

impunity
oribons

new

medium,

{t. e.

pictureto

books)
the
use

and

serial
classes.

prints only appealed

The
were

middle for

nobilityhad
"

no

them unfit
to

they
be

vulgar by
a

tions," crea-

handled

lady

of

rank.
even

They to-day
do

never

bought
rank made them
a

them,

and

not

highly. specialty
that of

Moronobu,

who

illustratingthe happened
in*

historical
different

events

had and

provinces

no

JAPANESE

ART

towns,

worked He

almost
was

exclusively
the

for

the

engravers.

first, also, who Itcho,

to
on

represented
other

actors

in
no

art.

the his and for

hand,

had He

device
was a

multiply
pure

productions.
simple.
the

painter
not

He

is

remarkable which of

only

spirit and
of
a

gaiety
many

is

istic character-

great
for his

his
in

paintings,
which
use
one

but
must

also

method,

admire

the

expressive

of

the

brush. The

history
extent,

of

wood-engraving history
our

is, to

large
school of if

the

of

the

Ukio-ye

itself,and
art to

Western be very

knowledge
deficient
on

Japanese
we

would

had

depend

solely

"wall

pictures."
In the

beginning
were

only

black

and

white

single
and

sheets

produced.
Moro
were

Moronobu the

Husuyuma
of the

leading

exponents
After

Diirer-like

woodcuts.
to

awhile,

they began

colour

the

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

III

prints
them

with the
"

reddish
tan
"

orange,

and

called

prints.

Torii

Kiyonobu
made ings draw-

( 1 664-1
for

729)
this
a

and kind kind

Kiyamasa
of of

prints.

little later

they
with

mixed

glue,
to

called
the

nikawa,
effect
of

the

Chinese

ink,
also

give

varnish. called Massanobu

curves

They
them

used

gold paint,
Okumura

and

"lacquer

prints."
whose the

(1690-1768),
almost

short

possessed

purity

of

Greek

line, Nishimura
and

Shigenaga
some

(1697best the

1756),
efforts

others,

had in
1

of way.

their
In

reproduced
school, about

that 740,

Kyoto

they

tried

chrome polythe
were

prints prints
called This tints the gawa thus
"

for

the

first in

time, and

reproduced

light green

rose

prints."
combination outlines
was

curious with black

of two

fragile
to

explored

best

advantage

by

Kiyonobu,
and

IchiTorii be-

Toyonobou
(i 735-1

(1711-1783),
785).
This

Koyomitsu

work

112

JAPANESE

ART

longs
has

to

the

best

Japanese

colour-printing

produced.
About

1765,
for

an

engraver the first

by
time

the

name

of

Kinroku which

produced
four
or

prints

passed
and Suzuki

through

five

impressions,
1770)
in this
never

Haronobu(i7i8been has interested

and

Buntcho

have

type of prints.
been used
manner

Colour
a

probably
and

in

more

refined

more

raffine
tints colour.
one

than
were

by

these

artists. hints which

tion atten-

The
at set

they applied They

were

merely
paleness

of

to

dreaming
the

without

paying

to

what these eye,

picture represented.
were

And fair of

because
to

prints
and

exceedingly
the

the

attractive,
them

people
which
at

the
means

time

called

nishikie,

"brocade of the

pictures." Although
century,
artists with the

the

end

eighteenth
and
to

Nishikawa,
of

Soukenobu
were

other
cope

Kyoto
painters
not

trying
Yedo

of the

brocade

pictures, they did

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

II

succeed time
on,

in

outshining
brocade
of

them,

and of

from Yedo

that came beof

the

prints
famous

one

the

products

the

city.
The

prints
Shunsho
strove to to

of mark for

Koriusa,
a

Shighemassa
period.
but still
It

and

transition

They
hesitated
was

more

colour,
its full

use

it in

strength.
(i 752-181
to

left

Torii

Kiyonaga
He school.

5)
the

to

accomplish
of the

this.
Tosa he

returned

ideals
The

colours Clear clear

relied

upon

were

the

following:
red-brown,
silver

yellow,
orange,

dark mastic brilliant To

chestnut, white, violet,

white,
and

vermilion,

black,
the the wood

brown

lacquer.
their

heighten
introduced
upon

brilliancyof
device
block of

effect, he
a

passing
each

rice

paste

the

time

before

spreading

the

colour.
Other

artists
to

besides

the

painter
the

have

contributed

bring

about

perfection

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

II

smudged
sure

or

blurred. the
to

Really,
of

am

not

whether be

place
the

honour
He

should

not

given
marred

printer.
of the the

might

have
and

the the

work

engraver,

spoilt
his

effect of

painter

sought
the

for,

methods and
most

printing being

crudest of and upon

unpatentable;
he of His has his
own

stead yet, in-

marring,
mark

added

beauties,

left the the and

individuality
were

print.

methods

fect, per-

perfectly simple.
the far fails faults of

In

their

chromo-xylographs,
are

register
even

very

few

and

between
to

"

the

magnifying
where
been
reason

glass

reveal has

any in

places

one

colour-block
to

printing
"

allowed

envelop
this method of
an

another
of

the

being
not

that any

printing

did To

permit
know
or

faults

register.
old

whether

print
to
a

is

authentic the

not,
if

one

has

simply only

study
breadth hair-

register;
from

it

deviates

the

space

allotted

to

it,its

Il6

JAPANESE

ART

authenticity
advise

becomes collectors

doubtful.
to

would

print
with is
an

purchase

only

prints
No

absolutely perfect register.

too

price

high,
in

as

such

prints
while
cially, commer-

will the

steadily
others
are

increase

value;

as really,artistically

unprofitable
In
contrast to

possessions.
Western the

the
on

principle
paper, the and

of

pressing obtaining

the

block

thus

the with the

impression,
the mechanical
on

Japanese,
means

dispensing
a

of and
or

press,

lays

paper

the

block, tampons
and

pats

the

paper

with
can

simple
regulate
where he

"barens." the
thus pressure

He
at

modify
and tones halfof

end

wishes,
and element

obtain that
are

the
so

gradated
important Japanese
in the and the
tone

tints
an

the When he

charm the also

of colour

colour

prints.
is shaded, block it in for
one

picture
in the

shades

every

printing,
In

reproduces
of the

pressure.

prints

highest

class

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

II?

two

or

three
in for

colours this way.

will

often

be

found

shaded chance well

an as

Herein
to
use

lay
his mind

the
as

the

printer
and
to
a

his

hand,
not

prove

himself

also

artist, and
The value
so

only
these
art

workman.
colour

of

prints,

on

which

much

was

lavished,

was

entirely cheaply,
rather

underestimated.
that the
;

They
handled

sold

so

purchasers

them
less care-

roughly
about

they

were

absolutely
to

their

preservation,
of
masters
are

such

an

extent

that

prints
1

who
now

ished flourcurable, unpro-

from
even

720-1 in
a

750

tattered sheet whence their But

condition.

Sometimes

the in

single
books,
with

prints

were

preserved

they
colours

sionally occa-

emerge in

almost
more

primitive purity.
posted
screens
on

they

were

often

screens,

especially
the
too

on

small

which

sheltered
from the

hibachi

(charcoal
drafts of
a

stove)

frequent
wind,

Japanese

house.

Rain,

Il8

JAPANESE

ART

dust,
each

smoke
took
a

of

tobacco in

and their and

was

of

charcoal,

share
soon,

destruction.
soon placed. re-

They

perished
The

were

stock

plentiful, was, daily, and

the

indeed,

being

augmented

price
In
was

was

ridiculously
land
so

small. of
art
as

brimful

Japan,
that such

it

not

surprising, perhaps,
did
to not

conceptions

hold
rest

very the any

high
world,

place.
which
art

But has

the
or

of

not,

never

had,

popular
that
least

to

speak

of, it

is
to

only
us as

natural
not

they quickly appealed

among had in the
store.

the

many

art

marvels

which

Japan

The
me
are

pages
not

which
numerous

have

been

allotted
to

to

enough
the
masters

permit pupils

an

excursus

on

all

and

of

the

great
few
can

Ukiyo-ye
be may of

school.

tively Compara-

mentioned.
have
names

The the

reader

been of

astonished certain

at

similarity

artists.

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

II9

This

is, however,
for their

easily explained.
to

It
a

is

customary
of
own.

pupils

introduce
name

acter chartheir of all into the Kunitally men-

master's

into the

This

greatly simplifies painting,

were

study

Japanese
those their who
names

as,

for

instance,
to

privileged
the
kuni

take

of

Toyokuni,
life,
" "

vigorous
mara,
as

depicter

of

stage

Kunisada,
well with
as

Kunimasa,

have

technically something
who himself of

in took

common

Toyokuni,
the

toyo^ like

Toyohami,

painter
the

night
of

festivals, and
animated haru. One

Toyoshiri,
from that

depicter
master, able
to

crowds,
is in

his way

Toyotrace

relationship
The class
Yei
"

between of artists

the who

different have the

artists.
acter charand

Yeishi,
devoted and The

Yeiri,
almost graces

Yeizan,

Yeisen
to

"

was

exclusively
of

the

charms

Japanese
of these
a

womanhood.

linear

beauties
one

representations impress

like

nautch.

I20

JAPANESE

ART

like the

some

languid
undulate vibration.

Oriental
with
an

dance,
almost

in which

bodies

ceptible imperis aerial

Everything
of

here

it is

world

visions,
from

of the

fragile,
rest

fairy creatures,
the

separated

of

world

by mysterious
them and
a seem

garments,
to

which around

enwrap them
pure

float

like

dream. the

Amber

faces, very
and

outlines,

eyelids
dark vague

eyelashes surcharged
and the
pass
at

singularly long,
with the

eyes,

languor
same

and

passion,
and with

time

serious,
women.

nity digtheir their

see

of well-bred

They

days,
silken the

idly reclining, wrapped

draperies,
the in which the and you
crane,

in
can

pine,

bamboo,
in

and

the

turtle

worked with their

gold
their

silk, amusing
their Or

themselves
and of them

flowers,

fish, goldone

miniature her

gardens.
and space

takes

samisen

fills the with We

see

empty,
some

screen-encompassed
sad

and

confused

melody.

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

121

them fourteen

arranging
classic

their

hair

in
to

one

of

the

styles known
their

the

Yedo
their

belle, darkening

lips,or
of

arching
grease

eyebrows
before the And flash The

with

tiny

sticks

paint

curiously shaped

mirrors,
of

reflecting
their faces.

nonchalant

expressions
stiff and

their garments,
in
sun

cumbersome,
hues. in
woman a

and

moon-coloured artists
see

Japanese

of glorification
even

all beautiful the

things.
natural
trees to

They
of the and

have

studied and

grace find

willow, plum,
correct

cherry
of her

expression

movements

poses. The

Shijo
in the

school latter
were

was

strongly
of the

in

dence evi-

half

eighteenth

century. Goshen,
182
1

There
the The of
to

Yosen

(i 752-1818),
Sosen known

landscapist,and
latter
became He of

(1747for

).

his his
and

pictures
whole his

monkeys.
the
are

devoted

life

study high

animals,
in

pictures

priced

England

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

23

an

expression
moods the

of

the

more

gentle

and

feminine
to

in

Buddhism,
of
"

ing correspond-

worship

the

Holy

Virgin
in
a

in

Catholic robe like

a

countries.

Clothed

single
her like
a

of

spotless

white,

enveloping
her
head the

thought, dominating
crown,
a

crystal
rocks

she

sits

among

jagged

of of

shore, the

great
and

overshadowing
In

spirit
this

pity, love, Hoyen

It is has
a

providence."
us no

work

given
new

pictorial

repetitions.
built But
on a new

pictorialcreation,

thought.
did
human he
not

Hoyen
with
the

only

deal
and

fully success-

figure
also

serious in

religious work,
landscapes
the

realized

his
his

of highest possibilities the

style.
the

The

debasement,
to

exaggeration,
the nance domideface

appeal
of

vulgar
comic,

feeling,
which of modem

the

often

the art, alone

accomplishments
are

Oriental
Almost

in among

Hoyen
his

utterly lacking. contemporaries,

he

kept

124

JAPANESE

ART

his the

eyes Tosa

fixed and

on

the Kano

spiritual heights of
masters,
while serving pre-

perfect originality.
The rather

painters
a

of the time

Ukio-ye
in
on

school

had

hard

the

meanwhile. and
a

They

were

dependent
many

publishers
of them

print-sellers,and
rather

led

precarious
whatever

existence.

They
fell into
the

cepted ac-

commission

their

hands

"

now

drawing
appeared panels

for in of off
a a

engravers
now

sketches

that the

albums,
a

decorating
mansion,
sketch
now now

temple

or

dashing
rate

rough
cents
a

colour

at

the

of

few the

sheet,
with

wandering

off

into

country
life

some

congenial spirit to enjoy

their
own

entirely
what

after

fashion,
throw in

and their

to

take

chance
The

might

way. that Itcho had

was

reformatory by by
Moronobu

work and

been
tinued con-

begun

Miyagawa
himself
to

Chosun.
the
narrow

He

did limits

not

restrict

'

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

12$

of

the

later

Kano greens,

pigments,
but of

reds, yellows,
them all

blues, and
with
a new

enriched

scale

strange
He

browns,
drew his

olives, purples, and

grays.

figures
less

very

much in

like

Moronobu,
while his

only
grounds back-

harsh
were

outline,
treated in

the

dashy

style
was

of
an

Sesshin. age of

The

eighteenth century
in

splendid patterns
areas

garments,
as

large sweeping
from of very the Genroku fond of
so

of patterns,

guished distin-

the

finelydiapered garments
period,
and

Chosun
as

was

drawing easily

them,
to

they

lend

themselves
He where had

colour

schemes.
and there he His of dred Hunof

put

in
one

dash least of

of colour

here

expected
Korin
were

it, a
Kenzan.

trick

learned

and

favourite Yedo.

subjects
His best

street

scenes
"

known

works and
most

are

Poets,"

"Fans,"
the

"Mirror beautiful

Beauty,'* perhaps
ever

ture-boo pic-

produced.

126

JAPANESE

ART

Other

painters
move;ment Torii

who
were

greatly helped
Teisan,
and the

the
two

popular
brothers, mitsu,

Kiyonobu Toyokusi,

Torii

Kiyoand

Buntcho,

Haronobu,

Soukenobu.

Kiyonobu
for He his

(1664-

17

29)
in
two

became
rose

famous and green.

pletely. com-

arrangement
these

exhausted
No

colours
to

European
balanced Buntcho life

artist these

my

edge knowlcolours
tained re-

has
so

ever

two

perfectly.
all his

(i 765-1801),
a

by

prince, indulged
and the in

in

historical
very

researches,

depiction

of actors, colour dramas been

a

original both
Ever since

design

and

feeling.
had rage devoted

Chikamitsu's
there had all

become
for
actor
some

popular,
prints.
sheets
to

Nearly
this

artists
so

erto hith-

degraded

profession. (i 796-1
to

Toyokuni, i),"seemed
The

and

later

Kuniyoshy

86

particularly adapted
violence
of

this

work.

dramatic

gesture,

although

KUNIYOSHY.

"

RONIN.

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

27

exaggerated
ridiculous,
are

almost

to

the

verge

of

the

masterly
in

rendered
was

by
a

them.

Kuniyoshy,
unrestrained that His
was

particular,
an

wild,

talent, with
neither
to

imagination
nor

bend
were

to
a

break.

fantastic of

landscapes
all of

positive
lished estabtions illustrathe

rejection

the

theories

and His

rules of the

aestheticism.

"Forty-seven
of

Renins,"
and the

national
made Two him

drama

loyalty
all
over

revenge, islands. and their

popular
of

pupils
became

Buntcho,
very of

Totsugen

Bumpo,
numerous

popular through
caricatures.
a

albums

Soukenobu
woman,

created young faces.

peculiar t5rpe of

plump

girls They

with
were

round

and those
or

laughing
of any

unlike
Seated
at

other under

Japanese
flower

artist.

standing
of
or

branches,

the the

bases

graceful flowery
a

trees,

walking
bowers,
own.

in

fields

garden
of their

they
He is

always

have

grace

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

129

natural
he who

harmony
introduced

of

light.

It

was

really ese Japanmental

atmosphere By
the power in in

into
of

painting.
isolation, of

concentration his

himself, of
nature

absorption
and and all

of

faculties

only,

by

the

positive rejection
rules
not

of all theories of ing liv-

established
that had

of its

aestheticism,
motive itself to the

for

present,
swift

his

eye

refined
subtle

all the the His

reflections, the
effects
at

quiverings,
in
nature.
more

fleeting
hand and and

of the

light
same

grew,

time,
of

supple

strong

in

its grasp aerial

to

the

unforeseen which his

vealed re-

unexpected
themselves
became

effects
him
;

while

ette pal-

clear,

joyous, luminous,
permeated
His

fluent

with

sunlight
of the

and

by

the ours col-

brightness
were

sky.

favourite
and

green,

purple,

low-toned

oranges.

Independent
worked Tchikuden

of

the

realistic

movement

and

Hoitsu.

Tchi-

130

JAPANESE

ART

kuden

became

known of natural
a

in

Europe

by

masterpiece
perched Although
one
can on

simplicity,an

eagle
sea.

rock,

overlooking

the

replete
trace

with

personal qualities,
the influence of the

in

him

Kano

school.

Hoitsu

(17 16-1828)
for but

daimyo
studied the

by birth,
in many of the

painted
studios,
Tosa
were

pleasure.
found with
to

He

that
a

ideals

school,
best his suited

few

modifications,

flower He

painting,
had The
a a

which
ented tal-

was

specialty.
in of
moon

very

pupil

Kiitsou.

morningof

glories, full
the

dew,

with

suggestion
are

waning

behind,

deliciously

rendered. In
two

their

delineations
succeeded

of in

flowers,

these
all the the

painters
of

reviving

graces almost

their

delicate

organism,
of

inexpressible
the

tenderness

their
and the

fleeting forms, glory

of

living brightness
and
even

their

colours,

KiYONAGA.

"

Picking

Iris.

THE

REAUSTIC

MOVEMENT

I3I

unsubstantial

exhalations

of

their

fumes. per-

Toward

1795,

when
sprang

Kiyonaga,
into had sudden
a

the

son

of the

Kiyomitsou Ukio-ye

fame,
school

school

become
It had

of national

importance.

proven

its
had

worth,
grown

and less had elated

prejudice concerning
strong.
gone with forth love with into for the

it

They
Yedo,

streets

of

their

native

city,and
were

quivering by

inspiration. They
inexhaustible
scenes,
riety va-

fascinated of her

the
and

sights
their

and

they
to

had

allowed the

vagabond
of

fancy
and of
to

sorb ab-

splendour

light
scenes

colour
lar popuat

which

pervaded
life.

all these had

They
in
a more

learned
rational had
not

look

objects

way;

their proved; im-

knowledge

of

form did

marvellously longer
if their

they
shadows

disregard

entirely, and,
from
our

perspective
of

is incorrect

point

view, it is

132

JAPANESE

ART

wilfully
of

so,

for

the

landscapes
of that had led

on

some

their
even

lacquer trays
inferior

period
mastered the

show

that

artists

it.

Kiyonaga
to

(1752-18 height
ever

18)

Ukio-ye

greater
it had

of

technical

perfection
He
one was

than
a

reached of

before.

direct

forerunner

Hokusai,
in
a

of the

greatest

draughtsmen
were

time

when His
as

good
stroke brushshown air and
ples, tem-

draughtsmen
has in his
a

the

rule.

tremendous He

vigour,
revelled

paintings.
Picnic

in
at

action.

parties,groups
on

the
were

dances,

crowds
Human

holidays
forms brush. series
to

his
as

special forte.
alive behind One another and from him volume
to

leaped
He

if left

his
a

restless

remarkable is devoted
a

of works.

landscape,
to

flowers,
others

third in

fishes,
mated anilife. ink and

several

contain,
of in
on

very

outlines, sketches
He
was

ordinary
his

very rained

careless down

detail;
the

simply

paper,

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

33

gained
the cared

outlines of

and his the

accents

entirely by
and eye. He of

certainty only
for

hand

general

appearance

objects, treating everything

and with

in

silhouette,

sketchy modelling.
other artists could be mentioned

Many
as

Kunisada,

Nagahura,

the

embodiment

of

elegance, Ganka,
Morofusa,
the

Shigenaga, Morinaga,

Shosizan,

Torei,

Motonaga,
and

Tsunenobu,

painter

of and

peacocks
his

giant

chrysanthemums,
and
two

pupils

Tchikonobu
and and But it is
one

Minenubo,
belated Kano

Taigado
painters,

Bunlei,
many
one

others.
must to

refrain.
mention

As them

said

before,

impossible
had
some

all. Each Their

at

distinguishing
or

trait.

works,

painted
the

engraved,
of

charm

first tudes atti-

sight by

variety
can

subjects
in the

and

which of
no

be

found

tions reproduc-

other

period.
merit of the

The

greatest

Ukio-ye

134

JAPANESE

ART

school, however,
three whole
to

is

that

it has which

given
almost
art
seems

us

great
of

artists, in

the

Japanese
up

pictorial
for the

be
"

summed Outomaro

Western

world,

Kitagawa
(i 797-1868),
and

(1753Ho-

1805), Hiroshige
kusai

(1 760-1849).
is
of

Outomaro

known
women.

as

the He of

greatest
cared

painter
less than round for his

Japanese
and

severity

purity
He

expression
the

predecessors.
stumpy

disdained
of

and

figures
and the

Chinese
and he
ment. treat-

origin by Soukenobu,
sculpturesque
sacrificed
The
women
are

robust

women

of
to

Kiyonaga;
of

everything
shades
so

delicacy

of

expression
and

in

his the

delicate their and

transient,
so

impression
their between his
crones

of

charm

fleeting, hovering
that
even

features

their and
as

type

so

prettiness
seemed

ugliness,
if

they might

once

have

been

pretty

as

the

prettiestmaidens,

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

35

whose would He

grace
mar.

the

slightest touch

of

change

also

had He

larger conception
not

of

his
for

subject.
external

did

merely

strive

beauty.
woman

He in

represented
various
a

the

Japanese
of of her

all the

phases
keenness
on

domestic

life,and
which

with

observation

almost He

borders

psychological
her of in her her

insight.

represented
on

babyhood,
as

carried
as

the

back

mother,
the

child,
or

young

girl,
the

pla)dng
"Collection
as

samisen,
of One under

studying

Thousand
the

Leaves,"

sweetheart
wife
as

plum-tree,
the
tea
or

as

young

going
mother,

through
as

mony, cere-

adultress

turess, advenHe
to

and

finally in
as

her
it is of of

old

age.

penetrated
into He
life of the
was

far

as

possible
life.

go

feminine also
very

mode fond

depicting
and the

the mates in-

actresses,
of

of

geishas,
houses
of

the

green

the

Yoshi-

136
This
many

JAPANESE

ART

wara.

is

probably
have
he is

the

reason

why
a sualist. sen-

so

critics To
me

called the

him
most

ethereal
was
a man

of of

painters.
easy

True and

enough,

he

morals,
who

greatly
the

addicted

to

pleasure,
life of in

spent Yoshiwara,

largest part
and

of

the

finally died
at

constitutional
But his
art

exhaustion
he took

the

age

of
He

fifty.

seriously.
might
He

eliminated

everything

that

have
used

appeared

fleshly or
and
courtesans
more

physical.
as

geishas they
because
In

models
to

because

seemed he

graceful study
women,

him,
at

and

could

them
even

leisure.
if

his

pictures
courtesans,

they

represent

look

invariably like
with

princesses.
the drew imbued small

iEsthetically dissatisfied
of his

size

countrywomen, slenderer,

he
and finite in-

them their
tenderness

taller

and

elongated
and in
which

shapes

with
His

grace.

serial the

"Silk-worms,"

he

depicted

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

37

"

Forty-seven
most

Ronins,"
women,

as

represented by
is

the

beautiful his
career

the

piece master-

of these and

The

workmanship
the

of

pages

is of

exquisite, and
forms excelled. with the in time
over

beauty
lines

delicacy
never

and

flowing

has

been
content

Not

representation

of

figures
the

and

scenes

single engravings,
produced
several
sitions compo-

artists

of

this

spreading
Outomaro
was

leaves.
of with

particularly fond
colourist, he
ranks
His

tripthe

tychs.
best schemes of

As

the
were

Ukio-ye mostly
black,
of
a

school. conceived

colour in
a

four

tints, a deep
of the colour

tender

white,
a

pink

rose-leaves, and

sombre,

melancholy
Outomaros than any

violet.
are

oftener colour

ofifered

for

sale
paratively com-

other

prints,

but

few
very
a

are

authentic.
as

He
he
own

was

prolific artist, but,

reputation
in his

enjoyed
lifetime,

great

Hiroshige.

"t/l
"

Landscape

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

39

"Go-jiu-sen
Stations
after

Eki

Tokaido"
Tokaido

(" Fif ty-three "),were

of his

of the

published
life.
He

1845, in the
of

decline the

died
of

cholera

during

great

epidemic

1858.

Hiroshige's
scenes

favourite

subjects
and around

were

the

of

every
the

day

in

Yedo,
necting con-

and

along
Yedo

picturesque highway
Kyoto.
He

with the of

had
to

settled conquer

down the of

with beauties

determination
nature

within

the he
to

vicinity
from
most

his

native and

town.

These

knew

childhood,

they appealed
every artist but

him

strongly.
painted
tackled
Like

Nearly
the

had

already

Tokaido,
an

Hiroshige
manner.

it in Monet but in

entirely
was

novel

he

satisfied it in the

with all hours year, and

one

subject,
the all

represented
all
seasons

of in He
Two

day,

of the

conditions

of exhausted

atmosphere.
the

completely
artists
of

subject.

considerable

talent, Shunchosai

140

JAPANESE

ART

and the

Settan,
same

who,

some

years
a

later, treated
manner,

subject
new

in

similar Their

had
semble re-

nothing

to

add.

works

topographical
lack keen

handbooks;
of

they
his

Hiroshige's
observation his He who firm
was

power

invention,
and

of

traffic
and

animated instinct
for

crowds,
colour.

pencil
the
to

first his

landscape

painter figures
the

gave
as

foreground
a

almost

conspicuous

part

as

landscape
He
was an

itself. innovator
up
a

in few of

many

respects.
upon

He

had

picked

ideas

the and
ishing-points van-

European

theories
made
were use

perspective,
them. His in

constantly

of
not

always
whole
his

the

right place,

but

on

the

sitions compothese the

greatly gained
experiments.
existence
of He

in

realityby recognized
and the

also

projecting shadows,
reflections
his of

troduce in-

faithful and lanterns into

moon

pictures, an

accom-

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

I4I

plishment
the
He older also but His

which

was

sternly

tabooed

by

artists.
drew

birds, flowers, and

are

tures, carica-

they

mediocre
revealed His
"

productions.
itself in his tions Sta-

originality only
works.

landscape
of and in his twelve

Fifty-three
in of

the
"

Tokaido,"

printed

colours,
Yedo,"
of and the

Pictorial

Description
and in
"

volumes,
both

Views black

Tokaido," blue,
are

printed

pale

of
of

permanent rain, mist,

the

value. and

The

pearance apthe and

wind,
streets

frigidity
fields, the

of

snow-laden
colours of

vague
more

night,

have

rarely

been

faithfully represented.
fills his

It is life, in

fact, which

picture
them

with
a new

virile and

spirit,and

breathes

into

astonishing vitality.
air, of the
the
water,

It is the and

life of the

of odours,
and

of
life

lights;
of the

ungraspable

invisible with
an

spheres, synthesized
boldness and
an

admirable

eloquent

au-

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

43

colours

which
are

are

very the
at

noticeable green of

in

his

landscapes
metal,
as

oxidized

seen

old the

weather-beaten

temple

gates, and

deep
little

crimson difficult

of
to

lacquer.
reproduce
I
am

They
with
our

are

Western cobalt Rubens

colours,
green

but

informed

that and for

renders with
tone

the

former,
blood

madder, shadow,
the

dragon's
of

the

the The

lacquer
greatest
is

almost

exactly.
of the
of

exponent
a

realistic

school

Hokusai,
at

pupil
age of of

Shunsho,

who,

dying

the

eighty-nine,
and

left behind

hundreds

kakemonos,
five

eighty
volumes.
All

serial

works

in

over

hundred

the

sterling qualities
seem

of

his

ecessors predin
a

to

have The

concentrated
"

this

fertile

genius.

Mangwa,"
volumes,
of

collection
and the

of sketches "One Hundred have

in fourteen

Views his
name

Fusi-

yama,** which

made

familiar

144

JAPANESE

ART

to

the

Western

world, fail
of his

to

give They

plete com-

idea
witness the
to

genius.

bear

his

marvellous his

versatility,to
and
to

virilityof
of his

line-work,
but

the
not

harmony
compare those and The sai's

colours,
his

they

do

with which

paintings, especially
the of human form life. Hokuhas talized immorabout room-shaped mushsandals: burned with

represent
scenes

the

tranquil
visitor
to

popular

Japan
step.

encounters

types
his

at

every

He

countrymen,
and and

walking
immense
straw

in

straw

rain-coats

hats,
bareheaded
wind and bald
sun

peasants,
;

deeply
mothers

by
ing smil-

patient
upon

babies
their

their
wooden

backs,

toddling
and

by
robed their

upon

high

clogs;
and

merchants little brass

squatting pipes
among

smoking
the
less count-

riddles
The
"

of their
"

shops.
is
a

Mangwa

universal and

scope, kaleidoevery

where

everything

type

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

45

of

being

jostle

each
an

other endless the

in

esque picturin

confusion,
which of
set
a

panorama

nothing
artist
fat

escapes

keen
There of

analysis
are a

the of

and

observer.
and
a

people,
of
men

set

lean

people,
and

procession
of old

drunkards,
and

beggars,

studies

women,

national and all

heroes,

fabulous
He

animals,
has

demons

apparitions.
curious acrobats the No masks antics
are

sketched

the
and

of

which
He

gymnasts
has

capable.
of the

reproduced
the

ancient
with

religious, exaggerated
or

dances,

masks
masks

pressions, ex-

of

demons,
We

animals
see
try coun-

and

grotesque
folks
at

personages. their
us

daily
the

avocations.

He
of

introduced
artisans
"

into
-

workshops
smiths,

wood

carvers,

metal

workers,
pass

dyers,

weavers,

and

embroiderers
aloof from

review. theatre and

He the

only

held

the

Yoshiwara. the

Notwithstanding

directness,

some^

146

JAPANESE

ART

times

little rude,

of his
the

method,
character

no

one

has

analyzed
of of

nature,
and

and ance appeargence, intelli-

details

things,

the
more

living
ease,

figures, with

and Like all with age of

penetration.
great artists, he
his
work. these He
was

never

isfied satat

wrote

the and

seventy-five
words mania
"

humourous my sixth all

me.

heartfelt
a

From of

year
sorts

on

peculiar
took

drawing
of

of my
a

things
fiftieth number

possession
I

At

year of

had

published
of
every
to

quite

works
none

possible
my
me

scriptio de-

but Real my five seventieth the real

me.

were

tion. satisfac-

work

began
year.

with Now

only

in

at

seventywakens
that
a

appreciation
I

of nature

within

therefore have arrived which

hope
at

at

eighty
power

may

certain

of

intuition,
my
one

will year,
I
can

develop
so

further
at

until age of

ninetieth hundred

that

the

proudly

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

47

assert

that

my

intuition
should it be and
true ten

is

thoroughly
to
me

artistic.
to

And,

granted
years,

live
a

one

hundred and radiate dots."

hope
of my

that
nature

vital may

comprehension
every
one

from

of

lines

and

(You
some

see,
our

Hokusai
Western
was as

is

more

modest

than

of

artists

!)
in of scapes landEleven and of
;
spect re-

Hokusai
as

proficient
His serial

in

figures.
shows his The of

Waterfalls for

fidelity to
movement

nature.

the

water,
colour
are

the and

outline

the

rocks

the

local
scene,

particular details
rendered.
not

of each

marvellously Study,
it

matters

what
see

picture
even

of

Hokusai's smallest
are

and

you

will which

that

the
posed com-

details

of

they

are

logically in sympathy
that
even

with blade

one

another,
grass
on

the

smallest
are

of

and

slenderest
and

branch

dependent
composi-

the

width

length

of the

148
tion. The

JAPANESE

ART

exquisite grace
the force
we

by

which

we

are

charmed,
construction
the with

feel, the

strength
before
our

of
us,

which

they bring
which stirs
from in the
scent

splendid

poetry

souls

admiration,
We of these

proceed
seem,

tude. this exacti-

truly

tion contemplathe

pictures, to
to

odour

of the from

earth, and
heaven.
to

feel the breeze the

lightestbreath
from
the
sea

The
ears

brings
wide
of

one's
or

sonority

of

the

waves,
on

the
the and

softlymurmured
beaches blue. banks and

sound and

ripples
of

of We
of all

creeks
see

gulfs

silver

appear

successively Tokyo
fields
at

the
seasons

the

bay

of her vest; har-

all

hours:

joyous
the
same

with

the

gaiety

of

the

fields, sad
under

and
cold

desolate,
gray

with
of
sun

naked

trees
on

the

sky
the
a

winter;
into
of

frosty days shimmering

in

irradiated

by

the

splendour fogs,
thick
in

of

dust

diamonds;
the

and
waves

heavy,

where

vapour

expands

HoKUSAi.

"

View

of

Mount

Fusiyama.

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

49

which
In

are

visible

and
trees

veritably moving.
upon
a

the
the

blossoming
stream
one

the

banks

of

finds

beauty
up

truly
ice
rent, cur-

Japanesque.
in

His

breaking
driven

of

the the

the

stream, it is

where,
up

by

piled
dismal

against
is at

its banks
once

in

quaint
and

and

forms,

tender

tragic.
But, above
all else, he the and
was

the

painter

of
"of

the

Fusiyama,
all

sacred
women

mountain of the

which

poets
It

island
ten

dream."

appears

in

nine

out

of
No

of all his what ol

landscape compositions.
his

matter

theme,
appears

the

snow-covered in
us

summit distance. the

seasons

Fuji
He

somewhere
it to

the all the

has hours

shown
of the

at

different and We

day, through

the

ever-changing phenomena
see

of

light.
in
a

it reveal

its

rough

lines out-

cloudless

sky, through
rays of

the meshes
the

of
sun,

netted in rain

sail, in the
and
snow

setting

storms,

through reedy

ISO

JAPANESE

ART

shores
a

where

the

wild

geese

cackle, and
the nocturnal
"

as

ghostly

silhouette
"

against

sky.
"

Monet's
"

Rouen

cathedrals
child's

and in

Haystacks

are

merely

play

comparison
A

to

these

profound
has

studies.
his
manner
satility ver-

Japanese
in the

writer

described

following charming
my
seat at

"

rose

from

the

window,
"

where

had

idled Then

the
I

whole
was

day long
up

softly, softly.
I
saw

and

away. tremble of in the the into

the the
;

countless

green

leaves

in
trees

densely
I

embowered the

tops
clouds

watched

flaky

blue

sky,
torn

collecting
and

fantastically
I

shapes
here

multiform.

sauntered aim
or

and

there, carelessly,without
Now
I

volition.

crossed
as

the
echo
I

Bridge

of

Apes
the

and cry

loitered
cranes.

the Now

repeated
was

of wild grove

in

the the

cherry
mists,

of

Owari.

Through
coast

shifting
the

across

the

of

Miho,

I descried

famous

ponies

of

Suminoye.

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

151

Now

stood and

trembling
looked

upon

the in

bridge

of

Kameji
at

down Fuki

ment astonishThe
sounded re-

the the
in

gigantic
dizzy
my It

plants.
of Ono

roar

of

waterfall
ear.

shudder
a

ran

through
I

me.

was

only
bed
near

dream my the

which

dreamed,
this

lying
book
of

in

window,
master

with
as a

pictures by
my
same

cushion is

beneath the

head."

It

always

thought
these

that

guides
aspects

Hokusai of
nature.

through
He
a

multiplied
upon

seizes
a

the of the

characteristics
ocean,

of

field, of
tree,
a

bit
or

of
most

rock,

flower

figure,
in its of

in

its

individual
of motion

expression,
and

passing
colour.

charm

harmony

Study
and

these

kakemonos,
in the

colour order time

prints,
their that

sketch-books,
and you will

of
see

dates,
the

each

painter's

methods

improve,
of

that

his

sensibilityto
more

the

mysteries
that

nature

becomes

developed,

his

eye

dis-

152

JAPANESE

ART

covers

new

and
you

unknown do
in
not

forms

and

eflfects; but
work
any

feel

from
tainty uncer-

his

hesitation
a

his

art, any

of

mind

seduced

yesterday by by
in

one

ideal, and
His

to-day

troubled

another. the
same

step is always in advance,

direction, firm, resolute, and

one

unwavering urged
of

might
some

say

that

he

was

forward
so

by

irresistible
and him

force

nature,
which

regular
carries Ever
up
even

powerful along.
the
for
was

is the

impulse

since
brush he

day
the
not

when first

Hokusai

took he

the

time,

felt,
sure

when

yet perfectly
to
own,

of

himself, what
it

he

wanted of his

do, and

he

did

by
a

processes

travelling
conquest,
from in

along
without route,
of

straight path deviating

an

toward
instant himself

his
suit pur-

and

without

losing
or

vague Endowed

ideals

confused
a

tions. aspiramoral

with

robust

nature

and

healthy intellect, fortified

by

THE

REALISTIC

MOVEMENT

53

life of
was

constant

intimacy
no

with

nature,
porary contem-

there

in him
so

trace to

of that

malady
and contentions

fatal

artistic

tion producThe and the

development,
of of

restlessness. schools made of

no

opposing

caprices
upon
nervous,

aestheticism

sion impres-

his
and

mind

bronze,

vibrantly
to

delicately impressionable
as

all emotions
one

it

was.

He and

was

all

of

piece

in of

the
his

subtle

complicated
stituted con-

mechanism
to

genius, admirably
the
most most

receive
create

diflferent

sations, sen-

to

the

opposite forms.
of
was some

He

was

the

contemporary yet
there

mighty
be found

names,

scarcely
all
a

to
more

among

them and

spirit

thoroughly
petty
rest

original ;
of

surely, when
taste
are

the
at

conflicts
for ever, written

passing

laid this
man

it will his

be found

that

has
one

signature, indelibly,on
of the

of the

principal pages

universal

history

of art.

CHAPTER

V.

THE

INFLUENCE

OF

JAPANESE

ART

ON

WESTERN

CIVILIZATION

pHIRTY
art

to

forty
almost

years

ago

nese Japato

was

unknown Previous
Exhibition

the

Western

world.

to

the

London
the Land

International
of the

of

1862,

Rising
in the

Sun

was

absolutely
museums

unrepresented
and
art

European
at

galleries.
a

Only

The
of

Hague
natural

there

was

small

collection

and

industrial aflForded
but

products,
little

which,
tion. informa-

however,

The

first

appreciator
Louis

of

Japanese
In

art

was

probably

XIV.

his

old

age,

'54

THE

INFLUENCE

OF

JAPANESE

ART

55

he

IS

said

to

have stuffs the in

taken

fancy
with

to

"

idols,

pagodas,
that
came

and
to

painted
court

flowers,"
from

of Versailles of

the

Far

East,

chests

cedarwood.
as

They
did the The

probably
Dresden

reached

Trianon,
via Maceo. in

they

court,

Portugese
century,

missionaries and
a

the

teenth sixthe
a

century
to

later occupy

Dutch

merchants
at

allowed
were

factory

Nagasaki,
a

in for

the

habit

of

shipping
lacquer
order

few

articles and

Europe,
sets

chiefly
made
were

cabinets

dinner models.
in

to

after

European
and sold

They
and
met

exhibited
and old in The Hitzen and
can

shops
be

bazaars,
with in

still

occasionally
houses
and

country

curiosity shops
and

England,

Holland,

France,

Spain.

workmanship
ware,

of these in

articles, mostly
or

painted

blue, red,

blue
as

gold,
the

was

exceedingly
native

rough,
work
as

and
can

unlike
well

superior
The

be

imagined.

Portuguese

mission-

,^

i-

-.-^"^

^iKC^:r^

iN
iA^S^j^i^

Sketches

of

Cranes

for

Decorative

Work.

THE

INFLUENCE

OF

JAPANESE

ART

57

the
to

exhibits the years Paris

which

Prince

Satsuma of

sent

Exposition
the

1867.

few of

later

magnificent
and

collection

bronzes,

wood-carvings
M. H.

pottery,

formed

by
in

Cernuschi

during

his
and
art

travels

Japan,
a

China,

Java, Ceylon
and

India,
treasures most

created
of

sensation,
were

the

Japan

pronounced

the

perfect.
were

They
in the

regarded
arts.

as

new

revelation
of able

decorative
and

number
"

writers

energetic
France,
and

scholars

America,
seemed
out

England, suddenly
ists
one
"

Germany turning special

to

compete
to

in

Japonof

began
or

make

studies art,

the

other whole

branch

of
to

often

devoting

their
The

lifetime

the

tigation. investributed con-

Japanese

government

matchless selected
on a

collections,
to

carefully
Vienna whole

large scale,
of
a

the the

Weltausstellung
nation,
seized

1875,
fever

^^d for

with

European

158
material
ancient
was

JAPANESE

ART

accomplishments,
treasures

yielded
readiness

up

its

with

which

afterward The

repented
was a

of.
rare

occasion

one,

and

the
tinental Con-

London

importers,
capital, did

as

those

of

every

not

fail to

profit by

it

Everywhere
bronzes,
wood and
art

Japanese
pottery,

silks, embroideries,

lacquer,

and

carved in the of

ivory,

were

displayed

shop

windows.

Large
arrived

consignments
almost

Japanese
in the

goods
various sales
were

monthly

European
the these
"

ports;
of

large
day.

special
In

order

the
"

twenty

years

promoters
away and all

almost could the

drained

Japan,
hands

taking
upon,
to

they

lay

their

sending
to

treasures to

pell-mell
or

Paris,
York.

Hamburg,

London,

to

New

Everybody
and
even

seemed of

surprised
these
"

at

the

riety va"

richness
faults in the

novelties and
as

the

perspective
enthusiasts,

ling modela

enchanted

pro-

Silk

Embroidery

for

Screen

THE

INFLUENCE

OF

JAPANESE

ART

59

test

against
Western

the
art

too

rigid
A

rules

exacted
furor for pean Euro-

in

perfect
swept
in
over

everything
countries mad
a

Japanese
;

Paris

particular went
was

with house had

Japomania,
in the
not

There

hardly
district,
rooms

Monceau furnished

Park
some

which with

Japanese

lacquer-work, bronzes,

and

tapestries.
Edmond
its

and

Jules

de

Goncourt invested

came besands thouAnd

at

champions,
in

Zola

of francs

Japanese
who

curios.

among

the
one

artists

appeared
celebrities

the

sales,
Alfred

encountered

like
Tis-

Stevens,

Diaz, Fortuny, James

sot,

Alphonse
and

Legros,
the

Whistler,

Carolus

Duran,
and

engravers

Bracquemont

Jules Jacquemart.
The artists East artistic

realized
had
a

that

this

nation and
at

of
nected con-

the

Far

complete

development, history, it

that,
had

tain cer-

periods

of its

produced

l6o

JAPANESE

ART

works

in
art

which
were

none

of and
was

the

elements

of

great

lacking,
art

that
even

in certain

respects
to

Japanese
own.

superior

their

European Japanese
action,
form and
in

artists
clever of

have

equalled

the

grouping,

vigorous
for

force

expression,
even

passion

colour, and
without

in the
never

sketchy figure
appliance
reached
of

delineation

shadows,
unlimited
most

but

they

have

that

suggestiveness

which

even

the

insignificantJapanese
This modern

picture-book
had
quered con-

contains.

suggestiveness
art.

It

came

at

the

right

time.

Too in

much
;

philosophy everything,
to

had from

been the

written
most

Europe

commonplace
been upon,

the

most

sublime,
commented the It dust sake
now

had

collected,
raked
up up

catalogued, merely
for

of

raking

barren
to

knowledge.
remove

became and cobwebs

necessary

the

that

had

THE

INFLUENCE

OF

JAPANESE

ART

l6l

settled

on

it, and

infuse and And than

new

life

fying, by purithat
complish ac-

remodelling
heap
of

developing
what could

knowledge.
this better
was

Japanese
felt. short

art? It

Its called

influence

everywhere
instance,
the

forth, for

story

literature, in which

Andersen,
French
"

Turgenjew,
and
a

Verga,

and

the

modern
are

dinavian Scan-

writers toward

masters, conciseness
a

tendency
of
sion, expresmore

brevity
which

and

suggests

good
of

deal

than with
poems,

it

actually tells.
we

Its law
can

repetition
in Poe's

slight variation,
the above work all

trace

of the

French the

symbolists, writings
nation combiof

and,
Maurice

else, in

Maeterlinck,
of

that

quaint
and

Greek,

mediaeval,

Japanese

art

reminiscences. Its influence music the is also of

palpable
in the

in

the
position com-

descriptive
of

to-day,

Neo-Wagnerian impressions

school,
to

which

prefers tonal

theo-

1 62

JAPANESE

ART

retic

and development,

does

away

with

the finished forms of classic masters, with

conscientious treatment
codas dying graceful away
or

of

counterpoint,

in clear sounds,

harmony. The affecting composers, younger growhich is natural to the Japanese, tesqueness, their listeners endeavour to surprise interval when a dissonant by introducing interval is most expected, consonant or a a phrase which is supposedto breaking end in an easily cadence, in the eligible midst of a bar. Polyphony calls attention
notes correct to four
or

pedal

with

five dififerentsides at once,

an

such as one received looking impression in which half at a Japanesecolour print,

a

dozen

differentcolours strike the retina

simultaneously. The Japanese influence is naturally evident in painting; in the nocmost turnes
of Whistler; in Manet's
to
see

ambition

in thingsflat;

the

peculiar space

THE

INFLUENCE

OF

JAPANESE

ART

63

composition

of

Degas, Skarbina,
the

the

man Ger-

secessionists, and
in the

poster painters ;
lines
as

parallelism

of vertical

tised prac-

by

Puvis of

de

Chavannes,
lines the of

and in D.

the
W.

parallelism
Tryon's
school-like
Bias

horizontal in

landscapes; colouring

frugal
Steinlen's

Kano-

Gil
a

illustrations, which
in for modern

have

caused

revolution

illustration; in

the of

disregard
the

symmetrical
; in

composition
eccentric in of the

impressionists
of the

the and

ing drawserial
as

symbolists;
of
one

treatment

phase

nature,

practised by

Monet. of all

Nearly
have become

two-thirds

painters
the

who last

prominent
have from the

during
one

twenty
or

years

learnt, in

instance

another,
It is
a

Japanese.
that
in modern

strange

coincidence

painting, just
itself from had barred the
its

after

succeeding
of

freeing
that many

fetters

classicism
for
so

development

64
should

JAPANESE

ART

decades,
reached
renic

embrace,
and

scarcely having
sithe the and
a new

maturity
charms of of

self-reliance, the
art.

Japanese
and

In

landscapes
artists natural and

Hiroshige
not

Hokusai
a new

discovered

only

choice

of

subjects, but They

of

also

natural

treatment

learnt
nature

to

understand
to

the
to

modesty

and

dare

represent
the

it with

the

simplest
noted of the

means.

For

first time, the grace

they

values

of space, the

and of

force

houette, sil-

effectiveness and which the

unframed of

composition,
impressions,
at

beauty

fugitive taught tion applica-

impressionism by
a

the

same

time,

scientific

of unmixed
I
am

colours.
convinced borrowed that their all the pre-

also

Raphaelites
of

have

method

perspective, which
as

makes been mountains

landscapes
from

look
an

if

they
"

had

painted

elevation

the
one

towering
and teaches

up

behind

another

"

THE

INFLUENCE

OF

JAPANESE

ART

65

them

to

avoid
of clouds

difficulties
in all

by
sorts

the of

duction introgruous incon-

places,
of

from

the

Japanese.
have
a

(Some strange
DeverShunof

Kiyonaga's compositions
to

resemblance

those

of
as

Strudwick,
Takehasa
a

ell, Burne-Jones,
chosai
the
seems

just
have

to

been

forerunner

Tachists.)
Some critics
at

will

no

doubt
to

shake my

their

heads that when work

as

this, and
art
was

refer
not

statement

Japanese
the
; true

known

in

Europe
their

pre-Raphaelites

began
not
as

enough,
but way
to
a

it

was

popular
had

it

is

now,

few

rare

pieces
and,

found

their the

England,
these

falling

into

hands had
more

of

dreamy
them

painters,

undoubtedly
a

impressed
than

deeply,
would
can

good

deal

they

do be

now,

when in

Japanese
every

bric-^-brac

found Even the

house.
has
I

the

variety stage
movement.

profited by
realized it

Japanese

Bronze

Sword

-Guards

and

Corner

Pieces.

THE

INFLUENCE

OF

JAPANESE

ART

67

stands first two

appear;
are

the

reason

being
used,
of
a

that that

the

scarcely
bed is consists

ever

the

futan quilt
away

or

thick,
and

soft,

which in
a

always

rolled

up

stored

cupboard

during

the

day,

while
in
a

the

wash-stand

is almost the baths

superfluous

country
often die times for other the of

where
takes shame five

commonest
a

labourer and than

are

day,
less

would three used and in all boards, cupof

if he

bathed it is

daily. Ewers,
hands,

true, bed

but, like
are

the

furniture,
so

concealed

that
room

the

general

appearance

Japanese
The

is somewhat who of of have hide their the also

bare. every houses

most

Japanese,
woodwork

nail under

in

the bronze

shields

exquisite
us

workmanship,
in

taught

plicity sim-

domestic shown

surroundings.
us

They
not

have
as

that
as a

room

need in

be

overcrowded make
an

museum

order

to

artistic

impression;

68

JAPANESE

ART

that

true
a

elegance
wall with after fitted
a

lies
out

in in

simplicity, and
green
or
or

that

gray

burlap,

few

etchings
or

graphs, photoold
ters, mas-

Botticelli,
and
more

other

is beautiful

dignified
or

than

yards
leather floor

of

imitation

gobelins, hung
from in

repousse

tapestry,
with

ceiling

to

paintings

heavy

golden

frames.
We have

outgrown
and

the tired in
our

beauty
of

of

Rogers Romney
and

statuettes,

seeing

backgrounds

portraits

photographs.
The elaborate way and
to

patterns

of of

Morris
one

have uniform

given
colour,

wall-paper
modern the and

furniture

is of

slowly
former into which

freeing
historic
a

itself from

influence

periods,
of

trying
based
on

to

evolve

style

its own,

lines

nature

dictates.

Whistler
same

and in

Alexander
the in ground backtheir

have

taught
of

the

lesson

portraits. Everywhere

THE

INFLUENCE

OF

JAPANESE

ART

69

pictures
of the

we

encounter

the which

thin

black such

line
an

oblong
part

frame,
in

plays

important
of

the

interior like the

decoration

to-day, and

which,
a

kakemono,
of

invariably conveys
space.
A

delightful division

lady artist,interested
remarked
to
me

in interior

ration, decoa

one

day,

in

most

nonchalant
"

manner

I think

it is of It is
a

entirely wrong

to

decorate human Alham"

the

walls

public building
be way. and done And like

with the

figures.
bra that
; that

might
one

my
a

studio

is another," about

she

made

sweeping

gesture
I

her. the my studio in

meant.

gazed
as

about what bare

silent

der won-

to

hostess

There with
a an

were

four

walls,

stained gray,

agreeable quieting greenish

in black and

couch
a

gold,

tasteful

screen,

few

ornate
"

chairs, nothing else.

that's
the

Why,

Japanese

style of

fur-

I70

JAPANESE

ART

nishing thought;
I
was

room
"

"

to

leave
can

it

empty!"
For

everybody
that
an

do, that."
friend
the of

aware

artist

mine
of

had

selected

the

colour in

for

staining
and taken

various

studios
the
next

the

building,
have if I had

that
a

I,

at

very door and have

me

time, could
which,

studio the

applied
of like

elegance
would

suggestiveness
looked
an

ness, emptihers,
and
as

exactly
expert
It

and

made

also

in
not

mural

interior
easy
as

decoration.
all

is

quite
was

that,
and know

however.
one

It that

this be the the bric-

lady's merit,
underrated,
walls
room

cannot to

to

enough
not to

leave

bare with

and

overcrowd and

unnecessary

furniture

^-brac. Such and

simplicity
yet
an

is

dignified
room

and

ful, beautibe

empty
work of of

can

hardly
not
panied accom-

considered

art

if

by
smallest

luxury

refinement

in

the

details.

THE

INFLUENCE

OF

JAPANESE

ART

I71

Experiments helping
has how
a

of this

sort

are

valuable
Her

in

the
a

cause,

however.
to
me

studio
me

been

lesson

it has

shown of

easily the
house

Japanese
could be with

style

ing furnishand

Americanized,

have

watched
in that this

pleasure
is

how

good

taste

direction

rapidly spreading.
the tion innova-

In

particular respect,
a

has Less
art.

done

vast,

deal

of

good.
on

fortunate If it
were

is its influence

ern West-

simply
means

the

endeavour research

of and

our

artists, by

of careful grasp the

comparison,
laws of

to

tal fundamencould
care

Japanese
But

art,

no

criticism

be

made.

artists
a

apparently

for of
are

nothing
both

less

than and

critical

knowledge
art.

Eastern with

Western

They

satisfied
It

imitating
that these

surface

qualities.
are tremely ex-

is

true

qualities

interesting,that
to

they

have

helped
esting. inter-

make

our

modern very

art

extremely gained

But

little is

thereby.

THE

INFLUENCE

OF

JAPANESE

ART

73

construction,
as

which
those such of

are

as

rigid
art.

and

futable irre-

Greek
we

And
more

for

reasons,

can

derive

tle litfrom

than

an

aesthetic

enjoyment
of their it

an

occasional
As ideal
to

contemplation
the
our

Japanese

art.

adopting
Western

of

style
seems

as

the

of

art,

to

me

hopelessly
who
sees

illogical; only things

to
as

talented

native,
see

the the

Japanese suggestive
racial

them,
has

and almost

whom become

touch could those catholic

trait,

still create lines.

A

something
foreigner,
and how
no

original along
matter

how his

his
could

mind
never

dexterous the

hand,

surpass excellent
own

valueless He

production

of

an

imitation.

might
certain
faculties is

enrich

his

style by borrowing
he will
waste

qualities,
in

but
to

his

trying

adopt

it, for

tion adop-

utterly impossible.

CHAPTER

VI.

JAPANESE

ARCHITECTURE

AND

SCULPTURE

|N
of

opening

book
in

on

the

history
of
ten

architecture,
one

nine find
with

out

cases

will

not

more

than the

three
of

or

four

pages

dealing

land

chrysanthemums.
In

certain

branches
still the

of fashion

knowledge,
for
one

it half

is
of

apparently
the world of And the

to

ignore
half.

absolutely

the

ence exist-

other

yet
a

Japanese
field It is
for

architecture

affords

such

vast

interesting
only
to
a

study

and

analysis.
that artistic

the

timber
monumental

ture architecand

has

risen

importance.
is wider in

Its

architectural

guage lan-

its
174

range,

more

complex

ARCHITECTURE

AND

SCULPTURE

75

and

varied

than

that in

of

Norway
to

and

Switzerland,
and than The grace, that of

and,
more

regard

seemliness

adequately
nation in the
to

equipped
Far have effort. East.

any

Japanese
without

style
any

seems

inated origIt

painful
so

was

natural

growth,
it could
and

individual

and

powerful

that

utilize, with

nity, impuwhich

angles, curves,
elsewhere and

projections
appeared
be

might
and

have
even

awkward in

hideous,
them

successful

making

beautiful.

Japanese
be
or

architecture,
rather

however,
from the

must

contemplated

painter's
than It power form is

landscape-gardener's
the

standpoint
of

from

architect's

point

view.
its in

essentially impressionistic, and

lies
or

more

in

colour

effects

than

outline. To
gaze
at
a

temple

at

ting night, silhouetthe

its grotesque

shape against

starry
illumi-

sky, weirdly dreamlike,

strangely

176
nated

JAPANESE

ART

by
its

rows

of

paper
eaves,

lanterns is
a

hung
never

all
to

along
be

curving

sight

forgotten.
A

temple

is

never

designed
as a

as

an

lated iso-

object, but surrounding

more

always

feature thus of

of the it
pears ap-

landscape,
like great

and

splashes
a

crimson,

lacquer,
than
a

and

gold

down

mountainside of
umns, col-

symmetrical
windows,
and this

distribution wall spaces.

withstandi Notof the

picturesqueness
which
a

conception,
whole

however,
as

utilizes

landscape
to
our

canvas,

and

appeals
it is in
most

purely
detail

visual
the

apprehension,
architect like
a

that

Japanese
conceives
like
a

excels, for

if he

giant, he

invariably
detail,
dull
to

finishes
the very

jeweller. Every
are

nails, which

not

surfaces, but
is
a

rendered of and
art.

exquisite

ments, orna-

work

Everywhere
in

we

encounter

friezes

carvings
colour

relief,

representing- in quaint

harmonies,

ARCHITECTURE

AND

SCULPTURE

77

flowers
upon The

and

birds,
flutes

or

ing playheavenly spirits, stringed instruments.

executed in

and is

pavement
the

coloured
from of

slabs, and
to

pillars are
Even the

gilded
stairs
of

top
some

bottom.
are

temples
Gold is

fashioned

gold
of

lacquer.

the

neutral

colour

Japanese

decoration.
Some of
of
a

the

temple

interiors
and One

are

like

visions

the

Thousand

Nights. ceiling
is

Imagine
as

sanctuary
as

where

the

magnificent
and

quer, painting, sculpture, lacmetals

sea
can

precious
a

make

it,representing

dark

blue

in

which
at

golden
intervals,
and

dragons by

are

sporting, pierced
columns,
embossed

gorgeous with and

gold-lacquered
bronze, and

capped
walls
forest

where
as
in a

ceiling
in
the

are

reflected,
floor of

pool,

black

polished

lacquer. Nearly
built every

building, large
As

or

small, is

of wood.

the

islands

are

exposed

178
almost

JAPANESE

ART

to

incessant it has

shocks
the
most

from

quakes, earthof

proved
as

durable the Bernese

materials, Oberland,
of

and,
and
no

in

Tyrol,

the brick

mountainous
or

districts is introduced

Norway,
as

stone

except
not

foundation. the with Eastern the

This,

however,

did from

hinder

architects

grappling
in size. Colossal
in

gravest
even

mechanical
of

ficultie dif-

structures

stupendous

structures

are

common

enough
great
hundred

Japan,

The
rests
on

porch

of

the

temple
feet
; to

of in and

Todaji

pillars one
feet in

height by
this

twelve

circumference
access

porch porch

simply
of

furnishes behind whose the

another stands may

equal size,
itself,of
idea
a

which size
we

the form

temple
some

from

fact, that
of with the
a

within

it contains

colossal in

image height,

Buddha,
nimbus
feet

fifty-threefeet surrounding
the Not

head
less

eighty-three
vast
are

in

diameter.

the

ARCHITECTURE

AND

SCULPTURE

79

proportions
Nara,
in is where

of each

the

great
a

sanctuary
hundred
stem.

at

column,
of learn and
a

feet It
tures, struc-

height,

consists
to

single
that

astonishing
vast

these

in of

size every with after

splendid
of and

in

the

decoration

part

their

bay
as

work,
gorgeous

blazing
now

gold
a

colours,
of
a

lapse
at

sand thouto

years
an

as

they
to

were

first,belong
remoteness

age

compared
cathedrals

whose
must

the
called

European
modern. The

almost

be

Temple
old

of when

Nara Edward
stone

was

nearly
the

three

centuries
laid the

Confessor of
sive mas-

foundation and and

of

his church
the

Westminster,

Harold of who

reared Waltham.
wrote

piers
Christopher

arches

Dr.
very

Dresser,
and

teresti in-

instructively on
asked
can

Japanese
:

architecture,
"

very
we

appropriately
show the in

What

buildings
have existed

England
cen-

which

since

eighth

ARCHITECTURE

AND

SCULPTURE

l8l

enough
in his
not

to

support
that

the

central central

block block
was

and
was

replying

the the

supported
top, and
central of and
a

by
there
mass

sides, he
to
see

led
that

to

the

made
was

this

huge

suspended

like the
to

clapper
bottom,
see,

bell.

On
on

descending
the

the

lying
that

ground,
was
an

he

could
of and far

further,

there
between

inch

space

intervening mighty

the
which of the

soil
goes

this toward

pendulum,
the

insuring

safety

building

during earthquakes.
For

centuries,

at

least, this

centre

of

gravity has, by
within
be of
on

its and

swinging,
it would

been

kept

the

base;
to

assuredly
evidence

impossible
scientific
the

adduce

stronger
and in

forethought
of

calculation

part
of

architects

dealing

with

problem Japanese
into

extreme

difficulty.
may be

buildings
domestic

broadly

vided di-

dwellings, palaces,

and

ecclesiastical

edifices.

l82

JAPANESE

ART

Of

these,

domestic derived and

dwellings directly
consist for
upon

are

the

simplest, being
hut of the

from the

the
most

Aino,

part of vertical
mortised
a

beams

(resting
beams,

stones)
ing carryor

to

horizontal

and

heavy

roof, thatched,
are

shingled,
more

tiled. roofs As the

They

really nothing
on a

than

standing
a

series
no

of

legs.
walls,
of

rule

there

are

permanent
in

sides
or

being
wooden folded

composed

winter

amadoy
of and in

sliding
up and
or

screens,

ble capaaway, paper

being
summer

packed
oiled

of

shcyiy
but

slides, Thus,
the

translucent,
in
warm

not

transparent.
the sides
the of

weather,
be
to

all

house

may

removed

and

whole
Nor rior; inte-

thrown do

open

air and

ventilation.
cut

permanent
paper

partitions
screens,

up

the

sliding
to

in the

grooves, number charm

divide of is
rooms

the

space

according
A

required.
to

particular
structures

lent

these

delicate

by

ARCHITECTURE

AND

SCULPTURE

83

leaving
without,

the

woodwork,

within

as

well

as

unpainted.
of

This

elegance
the

and
quisite ex-

simplicity

trimming,
of the

revealing

grain
resembles fine

camphor-tree,
silk, wins

which the

watered

miration ad-

of every The

stranger.
of the
court

palaces
the
save

nobles in

semble re-

domestic

dwellings
they
are

struction, con-

that
and of

contain

more

permanent

walls,

usually
more

mounted sur-

by
type.
borrowed As

roofs

elaborate

regards
from the

decoration,
resources

they
of

have

tical ecclesiasbeautiful adorn into the the

architecture,
forms of

and such

many
as

ornaments,
have found

temples,
abodes
were

their

way

of

the

nobility.
surrounded such

Their

residences extensive
Lafcadio in his

generally

by
as

landscape
Hearn has

gardens,
so

lovingly
Unfamiliar of the

described

"Glimpses
The

of

Japan."
Mikado
are

palaces

natu-

184

JAPANESE

ART

rally the
kind.
said
to

most

elaborate

structures

of

this
was

In

primitive
but little
"

times

his
to

palace
that

be

superior
the
no

of the

humblest of
to

villager

emperor,

being
pomp his of

divine

origin, needed
him In

earthly
eyes

give

dignity
later
set

in

the the

of

subjects.
luxurious
had their the in In the
or

years

examples

living

by

the

Shoguns
at
are

have

effect,
Mikado's

so

that,

the

present
orate elab-

day,

palaces
and

quite

extent

decoration. the
screens
were

old

palaces
embroidered

painted copies
are

with The art,

exquisite
friezes
sionally, occa-

of

the gems

old of the

masters.

often
as

glyptic

and the

in

Nijo palace, by
while
the

hand
are

of

Hidari

Zingaro,
in black

ceilings gold

coffered

lacquer

with

richments. en-

In
screens

the

new

palace
of in

at

Tokyo,

the

sliding
sive expen-

are

plate glass, a
a

rather
to

luxury

land

so

prone

earth-

ARCHITECTURE

AND

SCULPTURE

85

quakes,

and

the in

furniture,

having
seems

been
out

manufactured

Germany,
home.

of

place
Some of

in its Eastern of the old

feudal
in
a

castles, several
state

which

still exist

of in

perfect
a

preservation, were
to

proportioned grandeur
are

way

reveal

certain

and

dignity

of

appearance.
structures.

They

lofty,dignified
story is placed
the tiles

wooden
a

Each
one

little within

the

below,
with

ing projection (a fasheflfect

portion being
of of the

roofed

eleventh
is increased in

century).
by
a

The

height

stone

ment, embank-

which

mediaeval

times

afforded ances. disturb-

sufficient

protection
The

against
of these immense

civil

facing
out

embankments

is fashioned without

of and

rocks, fitted
corners

cement,
curve

the

have lends
the date
some
an

parabolic
air Most of of

outward,

which
to

Norman the castles

solidity
now

whole.
from

extant

the

sixteenth

century,

though

have

86

JAPANESE

ART

been the

completed
castle
of

at

later
built

date,
about held
to

such
1610

as

Nagoya,

by
the

twenty
finest
Also

feudal

lords, and
of its kind

be

example
the
"

in
or

Japan.

Yashiki,
the former

"spread
of

houses," -out-

homes fast
"

the

torial terrior

nobility, now
turned into

disappearing,
rather
are

shops,

are

esque pictursaid
to

constructions. have been

an

They
from

evolution of former

the

military
in which among
a

encampments
the the

days,
stood

general's pavilion
other
of
tents.

high
was

The

Yashiki square

tion collecracks bar-

buildings, a
the

lined the

with

for of the

soldiery, while
surrounded the middle.

residence

daimyo,
rose

by
The

spacious
whole and tiles and The
a

gardens,
was

in
a

girt by

broad,

deep

moat,
with

mud-plastered
set

wall, roofed
a

high

upon

stone

embankment. little from

the

residence

differed

but but

the

tles cas-

just described,

barracks

had

ARCHITECTURE

AND

SCULPTURE

87

certain

individualityof
of

their

own.

They
ings, builddows, winstone

consist

long

rows

of

two-story
barred

with

projecting
bays,

eaves,

hanging
foundations,
the

tiled

roofs, and
a

frequently forming
wall. is

part

of

enclosing
The
roof

always

the

most

artistic

and

characteristic With

feature

of

Japanese

buildings.
eaves,

its
in

broad
centre
at

overhanging
and the of bent

festooned and

the

upward

backward
a

corners,

thereby disclosing corbelling,it

charm
to

vision

complicated

lends

peculiar,picturesque

any

structure.
to

It is difficult

divide

the

ecclesiastical
into The distinct

buildings
classes,
as

conscientiously
is

generally

done.

simple
from the
ples, tem-

style
the
most

of

Shinto

temples, developed
huts of the the

primeval
elaborate
an

Ainos,
Buddhist

and

style of
of

offshoot

Korean

architecture,
and affected

have

constantly

influenced

ARCHITECTURE

AND

SCULPTURE

89

emphasized
the

by

the

presence of

of

the

toriiy

Japanese

form

propylaea, invariably
enclosures devoted

standing
to

before

temple
An
most

the
the

Shinto

cult.
of

amazing
Shinto
the the

plainness
shrines.
walls

is

attribute
are
no

There remain
or

idols, and

wooden

untouched

by

painter's brush
Its sole
ments orna-

the

lacquerer's devices.
are

the of the

symbolical
sun,"

mirror,

"the

emblem

transparent
notched

crystal strips
of

globes,
paper Since

and

"prayers,"
upon

hung

wands. Shintoism
was

1868,
as

when
state

stalled reincertain
but
as

the

religion,
has
been

effort
the

at

enrichment
of Ize and

essayed,
still stand
of the

shrines
most

Izumo

the

complete style.
Buddhist
of the had

examples

nal origi-

native In

the

temples,
Japanese
full

the
for

lous marvel-

instinct
and colour in

grouping
The

has
a

sway. shrine

first which

building

Buddhist

igO

JAPANESE

ART

asserts

itself

is

the

"

Sammon,"
in the in

or

two-

storied

gateway,
of its

resembling
upper

the
"

bution distriof

story
etc.,

gates

extensive

wisdom,"

the The

noble

official residences
of the
as

of Korea.

framing
so

lower form of of

story

however,
^

is

arranged
stand

to

niches,
and

in the

which Wind

the

God
face green,
as

Thunder
one

deity, the
a

being
of the

always painted
other
a

livid

that

deep vermilion,

though Passing
or

congested. through
the finds
sammon

the in
encounter

itor visthe

worshipper
terraced

himself
to

first another

court,
more

only

gateway,
to
a

imposing
court,

than and
so

the
on

last, leading
to
a

second

third, until
he
at

by traversing
reaches the

terrace

after and

terrace

last

oratory
are

chapel.
filled of the

These
all the

courtyards
concomitant

usually buildings
as

with

Buddhist
of bronze

cult,
and

as

well

with

number

stone

lanterns

pre-

ARCHITECTURE

AND

SCULPTURE

IQI

sented

by

the

daimyos
past
sins.
or

in

token

of

pentance re-

for

Belfries, priests'

apartments, kitchen,
a

rinzo,

revolving library,a
a

treasure-house,

pavilion

taining con-

the rise crowned carved

on

holy

water

cistern, and

das pagoall

either

hand

throughout,

with and and

festooned

roofs, beautifully
embellished
with
ornaments

lacquered,
covered and

with

statuary,
in

wood,

bronze,

ivory, representing
tapers,
corns, uniand
to

gods, dragons,

birds, lions,

elephants, plants,
the in

tigers, flowers, symbol

known
or

fact, every
whether Chinese

Japanese,
from the the

original,
or

rowed bor-

Koreans.
of these the

Among

most

imposing
are

plementar sup-

buildings
which Korea.
are

pagodas,
tiose

invariably

square,

like

of

They
seven

are

usually

divided
a

into

five

or

stories, each below,

and

set

little within
with

the

one

girt

about

balconies

19?

JAPANESE

ART

and

overhanging
is lowest of

eaves

as

in

China.

The
save

whole
the
mass

usually lacquered
story,
on

in dull
a

red,

which

bewildering
the eye, of

painted carvings
above all
a

distracts twisted

and

high
forms

spire

bronze
One

the
to

culmination. know who

longs
the
men

something
erected all of

of

the

life of

these
And

large
yet
The records
we

and
know

magnificent
little
archives the
more

structures.

than
are

nothing.
The

temple
of

silent death

birth
nay,

and
even

of their

their
very

great
names,

architects,
are

often still

wanting.
add is
a

All

I
to

can

chronological
and

list

as

when
were

the

principal buildings
I
am

temples
to

constructed. the

indebted

Louis

Gonse,

French

expert,

for

this valuable
Seventh kura
at at

information.

century.

The the

palace
of

of

Assa-

Siga, and

temple

Horiuyi

Nara.

ARCHITECTURE

AND

SCULPTURE

93

Eighth
(of which
the Butsu Ninth

century.
the
ruins and
at

The
are

castle still

of

Taga
and Dai-

existing)
of

gateway

sanctuary
Nara.

the

temple

century.
and the

The
of

Gosho Obaku

palace
at

at

Kyoto,

temple

Oyi.
the

Twelfth century. pagoda

of

The

temples

and

Kamakura.

Thirteenth

century.
at

The

temple

of

Tokufudji

Kyoto.
century.
Kinkakudi
of other

Fifteenth pavilion large

of

The
at

palace Kyoto,
and and

and
a

number

temples

tial pala-

residences.
Sixteenth

century.

The

castle the

of Osaka,
ple tem-

the

Himkahu
at

palace, and

Shinto

Kyoto.
century.
Nikko and built The the

Seventeenth

great
Tchoin

Shinto

temple
at

at

temple

Kyoto,
the and

both

by

Hidari of

Zingaro,
Nikko,

and

five-story pagodas

Osaka,

Kyoto.

ARCHITECTURE

AND

SCULPTURE

95

Architectural
the

features

which

had

entered

country
or

uncompromisingly
Indian in

Chinese,
lost

Korean,

character,

their

original appearance,
took
new on a

and

being assimilated,
and
A

refinement

elegance quite
steady
ment advancefollowed. teristics. characas

and

individual.

toward Colour

purity
one

of the
were

style

became

of

leading

Buildings
colour with gray bronze
a

conceived
and in

schemes,
dash of

in

emerald
or

silver,

crimson,
with
a

yellowish
reddish

and
as

black,

dark
The

accentuation. detail the in

up
was

love
to

for the

highly
extreme,

finished
and

carried

ornamentation,

steadily

increasing
swallowed This until in
at 16

picturesque
the form. with the

efifect, almost

continued
1

slight modifications
climax and
was

6, when
of

reached

the

temple
the

Shiba,

the of

Tokugawa
the

Nikko,

masterpieces
art

ese Japan-

builder's

196
Such,
in

JAPANESE

ART

brief, is the
From

architecture classic

of

Nippon.
of view,

the
form

purely
and

point

in which
a

outline
not

play

so

important high
in the

part, it may
scale
; but

rank
eyes of

very the

in

the

Oriental
The
curve

it meets roofs
and
are

all

requirements.
as

certainly
as

graceful

in

sweep

any

in

the

world, and, efifects,

of

as

regards picturesqueness,
external
and

colour
the

and

enrichment,
Nikko the
East. stand

temples

Shiba

preeminent

throughout
The modem

railway
and

stations, hotels,

club-houses,
erected since

government
which and afifect

buildings,
an

1868,

gamation amal-

of native and

foreign

ornaments

forms,
The

are

ing. architecturally uninteresthas lost and its ancient tectural archi-

land

language,
have,
of the

foreign

jargons place

temporarily
natural

at

least, taken

the

speech.
in
our

Sculpture,

Western

sense,

is

Pagoda.

ARCHITECTURE

AND

SCULPTURE

I97
It fection per-

comparatively
never

unknown
the
or even

in

Japan.

approaches
of

calm,

stately

Greek,
were

Egyptian,
statues

art,
of

except Buddha,
in

it

in other the

the

colossal

and

colossal

figures carved
the
at

wood,
horses

like
and

Deva

Kings, guardians

nal origiNara. of

temple

With

the

exception
which

of

the be
even

Dai-Butsu discussed
as

Kamakura,
on,
as

will
not

later

they
the

are,

to

me,

imposing
rins manda-

giant

statues

of

camels
to

and the

in the of

avenue

leading Peking. family

were

sepulchre

Ming,
The

near

Daishi centuries

in

the
authors

eighth
of

and

ninth of

the

many real

these

Dai-Butsus.
of

They
In

were

the

sculptors
miniature
the

Japan.
became

later
more

centuries
and
more

carving

fashion.
Even for
a

native

it is difficult
of and those

to

form ing standof the

an

accurate

estimate

huge

figures of gods

goddesses,

198
deities
and

JAPANESE

ART

seven

of

happiness

and

other

bolical symThe

mythological
them
narrow

characters.
in

majority
in

of and
a

are

hidden

temples, lighted figures, golden,

great
or

high
from

sanctuaries,
The all

only
often
into

little entrance. feet

thirty
the of

high, loom,
which

darkness, form,

is too it be
art

to

judge
The
"

whether
one

not.

only
of

impression

receives,
our

is

smile

gold
of the

far

above

head

"

in the

obscurity
Lafcadio colossal
to
"

roof.
describes in his
one

Hearn

of

those

golden images

"

Pilgrimage

Enoshima."
I

follow

the

old

priest cautiously,
whatever then
we

discerning
flicker
of

nothing
the

but halt

the fore be-

lantern;
which

something
and
to

gleams.
more

moment,

my the

eyes,

becoming begin

accustomed
lines; out-

darkness,
the

to

distinguish
defines

gleaming
as a

object
an

itself

gradually

foot,

immense

golden

ARCHITECTURE

AND

SCULPTURE

99

foot, and
robe

perceive
over

the

hem the

of

golden
Now is
tainly cer-

undulating
other foot

instep.

the

appears I
can

the

figure

standing.
are

perceive
very

that

we

in that

narrow, out

but
some

lofty,chamber,
blackness
down into the

and

of ropes

mysterious dangling

overhead,
the

are

circle

of lantern The

light,illuminating
priest lights
them
two

golden

feet. and
to
a

more

lanterns,
attached
a

suspends pair
Then More the way
;

upon ropes up

hooks about both

gether to-

of

pendent
he of

yard apart. slowly.

pulls
the

golden

robe

is revealed
on

as

lanterns then the the

ascend,
outlines

ing swingof two of umnar col-

their

mighty

knees;

then under the the

curving

thighs
and,
the
ever
as

chiselled

drapery,
ascent towers

with

still

waving
vision

of

lanterns,

golden
the

higher

through
There

gloom,
is
no

tion expectabut
over-

intensifies.
the sound of

sound

the

invisible

pulleys

ARCHITECTURE

AND

SCULPTURE

20I

oflFers

striking
In

and

rather

unexpected
of
us

peculiarity.
the

all other

branches

art
an

Japanese
of

carefully avoids
the

giving

illusion

materiality of things;
makes
it his the main in

in

sculpture
He
not

he

object.
a

only
manner

colours

statues

most

lifelike is said artistic strives

the

(carved
be the

and

painted

wood of all

to

commencement

productions
to

in

Japan),
as

but
to

at

times

give

to

them,
of

waxwork,
ducing intro-

actual

appearance

reality, by

glass Very
in

eyes,

and

real hair.
of
are

characteristic
this

Japanese
the
to

ture sculpof and

respect

images
tenth

foxes, many
eleventh

dating
century,

back

the

in

grayish
tourist

green

stone,
so

which

the

modern before

encounters

frequently
the
as

Shinto
The fox

shrines
was

and

in

cemeteries.
the

worshipped always
artists.
but been The

deity

of

rice, and
with

has the

favourite

subject
is

stone

carving

very

primitive,

the

202

JAPANESE

ART

form

of

the
as

animals
that of

of

rare

elegance, as
They

graceful
have and eyes
are

greyhounds.
gray

of green

or

crystal quartz,
the
moss

mostly They

covered
create

with
a

of

centuries.
of have each
own.

strange

sion impresthey
;

mythological conceptions;
ghostly
an

something image
Some has of their
ears;

about

them

and its

individuality
laugh
;

of

them

or ironically,

slyly wink
cocked-up
with The

eyes
while

others others

watch

with

again sleep

their

mouths

agape. the

skill

of

Chinese
the

painter

in of

faithfully reproducing
birds, the
of

plumage
ing markto

wings

of

butterflies, the
never

shells, has

appealed
it should
of

the
spired in-

Japanese
the

painter. Why
sculptor
which
at

have

is

one

those

curious
to

problems
In

the
a

art
statue

critic has
the

solve.
sciousness con-

looking

optical
be
or

cannot

readily
to

divided.
it
attracts

Either

it

attracts

form

ARCHITECTURE

AND

SCULPTURE

203

to

hue,

rarely
And

and

imperfectly
should

to

both

gether. toto

sculpture

appeal
lines

form,
delicate

as

revealed

by

flowing
The

and ways al-

modelling.
in his

Japanese,
of

deficient
and the

appreciation
had form of every colour
no

light
for
a

shade,

apparently
;

sense

statuesque

to

him

is

merely
emotional

curved

surface,
He from

void

feeling.
attention

introduces
the

to

distract

monotony
a

of form,
in

and,
relief. Even it
not

unconsciously, paints
Form in his

painting
to

alone

is

no

ideal

him.

okimonos,
to

i. ^., the that

ivory
idea. the
He

statuettes,
He does is

is subordinated share
our

opinion
when

body

most
a

beautiful female
than

naked.
in

considers
more

figure
without
is

holiday

attire

lovely

drapery. exactly
the in
reason

This

why

ture sculpThe
no

has
Land of

remained the
or

its
Sun

incipiency.
has

Rising
Luca

produced

Donatello

della

Robbia.

204

JAPANESE

ART

Hidari
it is

Zingaro
was a

(seventeenth

century),
bination com-

true,
of

highly interesting
and

architect, carpenter,
his
are

woodflowers of

carver,

and

friezes

of

carved in

and

birds

unsurpassed
He
was an

delicacy

execution.
in

architectural
word.

tor sculp-

the
the

true

sense

of the in

Also
his

works

hammered

bronze whose
to

of
lossal co-

contemporary,
"

Hiroshima,
cat
"

sleeping
to

is

even

this

day

known

every

child, I
I would

rank
not

very

high

but artistically,

take
any

it upon
more

myself
than and
I

to

call

him

sculptor,
term to

I would

apply

the

the

silver

goldsmiths

of the

middle
that

ages. Seimen has which

gladly acknowledge
vases

made
no

and would dare

incense-burners
ever

American would
not

dream the

of. turtles
the of the

Yet

compare of

of

Seimen,
of

the

quails
and

Kamejo, dragons
of

birds
Taoun

Chokichi

the

(four great

metal-workers

eigh-

ARCHITECTURE

AND

SCULPTURE

205

teenth

century)
were

to

Cellini's

work,

unfit

as

they

for

jewelry
with
a

It is dififerent

Ogawa
samurai,
as a

Ritsuo

teenth (sevenafter

century),

who,

tinguish dis-

himself the
career

soldier, renounced
become in
an

of

arms

to

art

workman,
and He all his the

equally
work.
in had and

successful

statuettes

lacquer
carved work

wood the

en

miniature^
of of

but of

effect

bigness,
the

strength
of

grandeur
eleventh His

antique
that

models

the

century

fluence inare

him.

portrait

statues

lifelike,full of dignity and

a

grace,

revealing
study
of

careful

and
His

fairly

truthful

drapery.
like of

strange and
the

fantastic

types,

the
the

Shoki,

legendary
manifest of
a

persecutor
wonderful

daimyos,
and

vigour

spontaneity
are

expression.
but

The
the

outlines

always exaggerated,
very skilful and

modelling
He

is

almost

accurate.

never

preserved

the

origi-

206

JAPANESE

ART

nal face

colour and

of wood,

but

invariablycoloured
latter

drapery;
with
a

the

generally
touches
of

brown,

few

delicate

gold.
But
we

even

Ritsuo
the

is

not

sculptor

as

understand

word.
a

According
of

to

Western
must

aesthetics be

piece
It of

sculpture
be
sary unnecesa

"statuesque."

must

vigorous

self-abnegation

all

embellishment.
is almost

Japanese
ornamental
a

sculpture
and

always
(Who
but

esque. picturthink

Japanese
scene

would

of

carving
Somewhere

moonlit the
I think

?)
line
must

dividing
I A
as am

be

drawn,
as

and

in doing justified
cat
a

I have

done.
not

sleeping high,
as

rily necessa-

does art, is
as an

rank

work
And
statement

of it

Apollo

of
to

Belvedere. hear
the

very the

annoying
Japanese
ours

that
of art
course,

have

another

standard

than

continually repeated.
have

Of of

they

another

standard

Asakasa. Dai-Butsu,

ARCHITECTURE

AND

SCULPTURE

207

art, and

their

work
as

is, in

certain
of their

way, oki-

just as
monos

great
and

ours.

Many
as

netsukfe,
are

the

various

little

ivory
life
than

ornaments

called, replete with

more

and

humour,
**

reveal
"

true
our

art

the

ambitious But but

as

work
is
not

of
a

average

sculptors.
about Both

this

discussion
terms.
are

merit,
Donatello

merely
well
as

about Hiroshima

great
that

artists, the
Donatello
an

only
a

difference and

being
shima Hiro-

is

sculptor

artisan.
now

Let

us

return
on

to

those

giant

statues,
a

who,
smile

seated frozen of

lotus

flowers, with
plate lips,contem-

serene

on

their

the

vanity
endeavours

all and

discussions,

of

all of

human
existence The

aspirations,

itself.
most

famous in 1252. and

one

is at
can

Kamakura,
be
found The

completed
at

Others other

Nara,
of

Asakasa,
the

places.
is

height

Kamakura

idol

forty-nine

208

JAPANESE

ART

feet
seven

seven

inches,

circumference
of face

ninetyfeet feet

feet, length
width
of

eight
"ree
to

five
two

inches,

mouth
are

inches, and
and of which

there

said
upon

be the

eight

dred hun-

thirty curls
is nine

head, each

inches

long.
of

It is made

of sheets

upright layers
and

of

bronze,

brazed

together
They
enables
of in
are,

finished
course, to
as

with

file work.
and into
as a

of

hollow,
ascend

ladder
the

the the

pilgrim
colossus,

interior

high

the

shoulders,

which,
a

generally, two
wide

little windows

command

prospect

of the
The

surrounding
Dai-Butsu of

grounds.
of Nara and other is

higher

than

that
to

Kamakura,
of the

totally dissimilar
ones.

the

most

The and

black

face, with

its distended rather

nostrils
an

puffed
cast

cheeks, suggests
countenance;

African be

of
to

but from

this the

may

owing
model
are

departures
while

original
we

undergoing

repairs,for

told

ARCHITECTURE

AND

SCULPTURE

209

that

between
was

the
first

year

750,
and off

when 1570, and

the the
to

image
head
the

completed,
times
burnt the

was

three

fell

ground.
both of Nara with

While
hands

Kamakura
upon
arm

figure
the

shows that

resting
the

knees,

has the

right
of

extended hand
to

upward,
front.
On
are

palm

the

the

the

right and

left of

the feet in

Dai-Butsu

images nearly eighteen

modern

high,
their the

built ent pres-

in

times, and

placed
with

positions, doubtless,
idea that

shrewd
tive diminuthe
to
tral cen-

their

known in

height, yet
contrast

appearance

with

figure,
main

would

lend

enormity

the

attraction.
most

Although
centuries
recent

of
are

the

Dai-Butsus
some

are

old, there
date,
built

also
the in

of

more

notably

Dai-Butsu
1800.

of It is

Kyoto,

by Hideyary entirely
As of
a

constructed

wood,

and it is

nearly
mam-

sixty feet high.

carving

2IO

JAPANESE

ART

moth,
kura it is
ones.

but
idol
not

the is
to

pleasant smile
and
as

of the
a

Kamaof
art

missing,
be

work the

compared

with

older

The
to

Dai-Butsus
tourists. the pen has

are

great

attraction
who
can

the

Every
written

traveller his of

wield about

appreciation
wonderful

them,

particularly
of Kamakura. says
:

the

giant figure
Chamberlain
"No other
or

gives
so

such

an

impression
the

of

majesty,
idea which the of

truly symbolizes
the

central calm and

Buddhism,
of

intellectual

comes

perfected knowledge
of all

subjugation
William Elliot

passion."
one

Griffis,
on

of

our

most forescribed de-

authorities
the
statue

Japanese
with

art,

the

following

enthusiastic
"

words: could of of

One

scarcely imagine
the the calm work repose of the

purer of vana Nir-

interpretation
than that

metal-

ARCHITECTURE

AND

SCULPTURE

211

lurgist,Ono. surviving
of

Cast

six

centuries

ago, tidal
to

and

the

destruction

by
reared under

waves

the

massive

temples
stands
out

enclose the blue

it, the
canopy
at

figure
of the

sky,
and

in sunshine

and

cloud,
in

dawn-light
and

even-glow,
in

sublime

conception
Lafcadio

superb
who is

achievement."
is
at

Hearn,
much
a as

times

poet

as

he

an

authority, has
of the
to

given
kura full:
"

us

charming

account

Kama-

idol, which

deserves

be

quoted

in

You the

do

not

see

the
of

Dai-Butsu the

as

you

enter

grounds
proceed
of

long
a

vanished

temple,
across

and

along
;

paved
trees
a

path
hide
he No
lossus co-

stretches But into how you very

lawn

great
at

him.
comes

suddenly,
and

turn,
!

full view, many may of the

you

you

start

matter

photographs
have

of

the

already
an

seen,

this

first

vision
Then

reality is

ment. astonishyou
are

imagine

that

212

JAPANESE

ART

already
least
me,
one

too

near,

though yards

the

image
As

is

at

hundred
at
a

away.
or

for

I retire
to
man

once

thirty
view,
me,

forty yards
and the

back

get

better after

jinand the

rikisha

runs

laughing
I

gesticulating,thinking image alive, and

"But could be
even were am

that

imagine

afraid

of it.

the

shape

alive

none

afraid

of it.

The
of of and

gentleness, the
these the features

dreamy
"

passionlessness
immense
are

the
"

repose

whole

ure figAnd,
you

full of
to

beauty

charm.
the
nearer

contrary

all the

expectation, giant Buddha,

You

approach
the charm

the look
"

greater
up

becomes. beautiful
that

into
the you

the
half

solemnly
closed
eyes,

face,
to

into
watch
as

seem

through
as

their of
a

eyelids of
child
; and

bronze you

gently
that and the emn solyou

those

feel

image typifies all

in
feel the that soul

that of

is tender
East.

the

Yet,

also

only Japan"s" thought

could

ARCHITECTURE

AND

SCULPTURE

213

have its of

created

it. repose, that

Its

beauty,
the

its

dignity,
life

perfect
the
race

reflect

higher

imagined by
of
some

it,and, though
Indian

inspired
as

doubtless

model,
various

the

treatment

his

hair
art

and is is fail

symbolic
"So that the you

marks

reveal, the
and for
some

Japanese.
the
to

mighty
will

beautiful
time

work notice

magnificent
feet

lotus

plants

of

bronze,
the

fully fifteen figure

in which
on

high, planted
side
rods of of of
are

before

another incense

the

great

tripod

burning."
is of
to
me

The
an

Dai-Butsu

Kamakura

embodiment and

Old in

Japan,
that

all

that

is noble of all

elevating

most

artistic

races.

Creeds
race

may

pass

and

reappear, them
never

and

the
;

itself which the the six Dai-Butsu

created will

may

vanish
cease

but smile

to

smile

which

has years.

been
How

upon

his

lips for
life
seems

hundred
at

peaceful

the

feet

of

the

great tranquil

ARCHITECTURE

AND

SCULPTURE

215

to

be

of

rock,

and would the devour

you you world's the

believe
of

is these

shifting ships,
these
if one's what it

sand. loaded

What with which of

to

say

goods,
distance,
to

of

trains

as

were

any

consequence

change
all,

place
would which

another? of

But,
the
in

above

you

say

meagre

philosophy
clime,
in your where isles

vegetates
is
less ?

yonder
than

nature

bountiful

of

flowers

This,
make would
and
no

at

least,

is

certain.

You them.

would You

attempt
leave them

to

enlighten
to

their

busy
of

goings
action;
you tary soli-

comings, slowly,
return

to

their

pride

and,
would

with with

half-closed

eyes,
to

delight
your eternal

your

dreams,
of

to

tranquillizing
and motionless.

templation con-

the

CHAPTER

VIL

THE

ORNAMENTAL

ARTS

PomuiT

AND

Porcelain
"

Metals

and

Beonzbs
"

Lacquse

Wars

In
of

the

libraries

of

some

collectors find Sen

Japanese
old edition

curios,
of

one

can

an

the

"

Bampo
of
ten

Shio"
"

"complete
a

collection
of fourteen of

sand thou-

jewels," printed
1698.
aside
falls

book the

volumes,
Aboshi in

under
It from is its

care

one

priceless

possession,
interests,
an

as,

bibliographical
of

it

nothing
of the

short

being

exhaustive
arts.

resume

Japanese

industrial
and seals

There

are

signatures
;

of

brated cele-

painters
Japanese;
minute

of

kakemonos,

Chinese of

or

descriptions
216

curious

THE

ORNAMENTAI.

ARTS

217

and

ancient
of
vases,

coins iron

of blades

of

illustrious

katanas^
flower

kettles, incense
and

vessels,

lacquers
of
or

fabrics; potters,
of the

graphical bionese, Chi-

data

celebrated

Korean,
celebrated of

native;
in the

Gotos,

artificers
etc.
vases

ornamentation

sabres,
to

Two of old of

entire

volumes

are

devoted of

Japanese
and the is
are new

earth,
cups,

signs deand

teapots,
vessels

Chinese
The

Temmoku

epoch. by goldare

information
the

accompanied
indicated in

sketches, leaf, the

prices

dimensions
as

of the

each

object
and
a

given,
thickness

well of the

as

colour
It is
a

the

enamels. for

able remark-

book,
of the
princes

written and

public consisting
collectors.
;

millionaire

To

layman
and

it is after its and

bewildering
many

only gradually, study,

learn he
to

days

of and the

will

master

contents,

understand charms of

appreciate
art.

decorative
will

Japanese

He

realize

2l8

JAPANESE

ART

that

one

of the
lies in

principal
its

merits

of

nese Japaand

art

purely

decorative

ideal

industrial
we

qualities,that
Westerners
do At Rococo
to

they present
not

something
do
not
even

possess,

understand. Gothic
never

certain
we

ods peri-

in

the
it
as

and

touched whole

it, but

belonged
Japan.
The it of
art
a

the

people,

in
as

Japanese
possible,

have
Walt

realized,
Whitman's

far dream

as

is

democratic
be

art, for

only
If would

an

industrial

can

democratic. art,
we

we

understood endeavour
eat
to

Japanese
live in

different

houses,
in

from

different

dishes,
our

sleep
entire

different

beds,
and

change
discard
our

surroundings,
costume.

present

In
me

order cite

to two

exemplify
instances:

the We

difference, let
all know
are

what
the is
now

clumsy
same

things

our

alarm-clocks
for

alarm-clock,
fabricated in

the
but

same

price,
to

Japan,

is made

THE

ORNAMENTAL

ARTS

219

represent
Then sisters'

frog holding
what do
our

the

time-table.
wives' look whereas
a

again,

and like: in

pin-cushions
little
square

generally
cushions,

merely
Japan
flower,

they
or a

take

the
or

form
a

of

beautiful
And
so

fruit,
from

fish.

everything,
kitchen

their
to

buttons,
hand-made

baskets,
broideries, em-

utensils,
their

their of

plates
Ritsuo

Ninsei,

and

their
a

Kenzan

and of

lacquer

trays, is

thing

beauty.
confess
vase

I must

that Arita with of

I could

look

at

any
a

ancient

of and

porcelain
more

for than

longer time,
at

pleasure,
in
our

the

majority

pictures

average

exhibitions.
Our artists
as

have

not

the

same

tunities oppor-

the

Japanese.
were,

The

Japanese

artist-artisans of
to

until

lately, the
the
resume,

heritor inso

trade

secrets,

say,
over

of accumulated

experience,

ing extend-

centuries;

working

with

ample

220

JAPANESE

ART

leisure
a

for

some

patron

who

gave and

them nished fur-

generous, them

permanent
with could work of
to

income,
best of each

the make of the

material,
of their

so

that

they
a

productions
The the old

art

devotion

Japanese
his

artist
and

of his

regime

work,

intense
and

appreciation
of much that and the

of is

all that

ful is beautiwere

grand,

alike
the

unquestionable;
of
its

generally
country,
favoured

cumstanc cir-

throughout
the

history, greatly
these
of

growth
the

of

dispositions.
division
of
to

Although
labour,
be the

ciple prinis dation founnot

which very
was

nowadays
of unknown artisan his work

supposed
Western among

civilization, them,
been the Western

artistto

had

always

disposed
every
were one

carry of its of

himself whether
in

through
his
or

stages,

task

that

working
woven

metal
or

lacquer, of preparing
of

fabrics,

pottery

in

any

of

THE

ORNAMENTAL

ARTS

221

its branches.
on

Each while he

workman it
was

thus

looked
on,
as

his
a

work,
that
in

going
He
was

on

child

loved.

striving
not

after money
a

beauty
;

every had

shape,
his
cause

and

after in

and

he

compensation
some

way the

which modern had

as

would

surprise Japanese

to

artist.
no

The

merchant he
were

status
as

whatever,

though
alone
was

rich

Croesus. and
a

Money prince
with

bought willing

no

position, spend
many the

to

hours

an

artist-artisan, while
would Each in have been had

richest
his studio
was

merchant notice. and shop work-

beneath his and and

artisan his

home,

assisted
;

by
or

wife, children,
he
at went

pupils,
to

apprentices
or

off

spend

weeks

months feudal The ing workof

re-

the

monasteries,
orders filling
was

temples,
for of

or

mansions,
artist

patrons. rank, and

himself
an

often

for much

exclusive
and

audience, refinement,

people
he
was

leisure

THE

ORNAMENTAL

ARTS

223

No mania later fever.

resident
for he is The any
sure

of

Japan
of

can

escape
; sooner
'

this
or

length
to

time

succumb class infinite

to

the

curio artisan

high
an

Japanese

displays

such
the
can

variety
of any

and

satility ver-

in that

manufacture

article,
of
or

nobody
a

resist

the of

temptation
one

becoming
another.
oneself is
to

specialist
that is truth

kind
to

All

necessary of this of

vince con-

of the
a

statement

study

collection
as

teapots,

for

instance,
Howard,
wife of

such the the

Mrs.

Nellie Mme. de
at

Hopper
Struve,

artist, and
Russian have

minister

Tokyo

(1 870-1 882),
These

accumulated.
contain hundreds and

collections
of

hundreds

tiny teapots,
and

each

differing in
There
and
are

form,

colour,

decoration.
with

little teapots,
moulded square,

shining
into

glaze

ing, gild"

every

possible shape

triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal,

oval, high, low, wide,
narrow,

round,

flat,

224

JAPANESE

ART

and

full bodied

squatty,
with and in

perch-Hke, tapering,
wide,
and

top-heavy;
narrow,

long, short, curling spouts

the

pointed,
teapots tubs,

handles; baskets, houses,

shape
lanterns,

of

boxes,

buckets,

temples, gourds, dogs,

and
terial ma-

boats, melons,
pears,

pumpkins,
cats,

apples,

frogs, turtles,
cows,
women.

storks, ducks,

fish, flowers, boys

No the metal
or

girls,men
has
in

and

escaped

Japanese
From every from

workmen

fashioning teapots.
brass, and

gold, silver,
combination

iron, bronze,
and

alloy they know,

the
roots

clay
of

and

cuit, bis-

of

trees,

joints

bamboo,
even

from orange

body

of

sea-shells, gourds, and

from
a

rinds,
is

lacquer,
hollow handle. and inlaid

ivory, body,
There iron

and
with
are

straw,
a

evolved

cover,

spout,

and

large bronze, brass,

such
as

kettles,
in the form

simmer

on

every of
as

kibachi

empire,
and

masterpieces

graceful
well
as

pleasing decoration,

tiny

THE

ORNAMENTAL

ARTS

22$

silver
even

pots, that
to

by strange
with and

combinations,
become ship. workman-

inlaying
of

iron, have
minute

miracles

patient

The

manufacture been of
one

of of

ceramic

ware

has sions possesof

always

the
The

proudest

Japan. Kaga,
best the

productions
and

Arita, Kyoto,
rank with the Of of Satsuma that
ever

Satsuma,
of
art

Owari,
facturers. manu-

European
pottery
and

ware stone-

and better

Arita in the

it may

be

said
has

nothing
been

material

produced.
pottery

Japanese
of the the

impresses
and the its the

by

the

dom freeof

colouring
It retains

character
of apparent

design.

forms

rusticity,and
adheres
the
to

in

ornamentation

the

academic

conceptions
It is futile
to
pare com-

of

Chinese it with

masters.

the

classic
of Greek

designs
and

and

metrical sym-

forms
vases,
as

Etruscan

the

art

conception

of

the

Japa-

226

JAPANESE

ART

nese

is

totally different
Greek,
who

from

that

of

the

ancient and form All with

reserve

regarded

symmetry
human

correct

draughtsmanship
their the Greek

of the

as

principal accomplishments.
Japanese
is have in
common

that the

their

refinement

and

power.

The

principal

charm

of

Japanese
for

tery pot-

lies in its colour. the tion Wakai of collection

Take,
at

instance,

the

Paris

Expoto

1878.

It

was

made and
not

according
to

classical

traditions,
tastes.

please
clusively ex-

European

It with

consisted flat with

covers

almost of
more

of and less
cups

jars

ivory,
or

of all sizes and

mouths outlines

widened,
with There

whose

were

indented

fantastically arranged
was

marks. fingershape
but

nothing
Parisian

in their

to

interest

the

collectors,
vivid

their

colouring
It

made the

most

sion. impresthe

revealed

deepest
with

black,

most

brilliant

white,

innumerable

THE

ORNAMENTAL

ARTS

227

other

tints, from
crimson. The often

cream

colour lends
commonest

to
a

ful wonder-

colour
to

beauty piece

and

value

the

of pottery. One does

not

need

to

be which
to

an

expert
the
art to

to

experience
the

the is

pleasure

of the

potter

always
The

able

give

sensitive
to

mind. the his

connoisseur of the

is in

apt
his

forget
in

beauty
ardour and
to

object
its

hand,

determine

ful right-

data, maker,
and
to

place

of

production,
either
I

identify it beyond
or

doubt,

by

figures, marks,
never come

descriptions.
with

have
noisseurs, con-

in contact
or

Japanese
over

spent
some

days poring
musty
kura.

the have

treasures
never

in
sat

down

with

the

amiable
the the

Rokubei,

the

dignified Dohachi,
and
never

good-natured opportunity
from

Yeiraku,
of

had of

gathering
of

words

wisdom

the

lips
Maida,

Kohitsu,

Machida,
and other

Tanemura,

Ninagawa,

experts.

228

JAPANESE

ART

I rather of
a

would
a

consider
to

such the for

experiences passing

hindrance

proper
art

correct

judgment,
matter

appreciation

is, after all, a

In my

of
"

feeling.
may

opinion, shrug
"

which

elicit
from

disdainful

of the

shoulders

the

experts,

Japanese
in

pottery
those

reached

its

highest perfection
forms,
whose

simple
very

rugged
much colour

glaze, containing
lustre, and
like the

lead, is without
resembles
riki
wares

whose

charcoal,
of
the

Showo-Shigaof
at
at

latter
Not

part

the
the

teenth sixfirst

century.

dazzling
a

glance, they scrutiny, elegance.

covered
that

reveal

charm,
more

closer than

is

something
their dull
a

Through
with
a

black

ion, complexwithout ment refine-

lead shimmer

glaze
of
to

light, one
which
all
seem

discerns

is strong These
a

enough
pieces
of

despise
pottery
own,

adjectives.
to

of

have
a

soul-life

their of

and

by

curious

association

thought

THE

ORNAMENTAL

ARTS

229

they invariably conjure

wild The samurai careless of in black

up

before

me

lacquer
and

armoun

originality
their

vigorous
in

simplicity

shapes
without and

laugh,

their
at

superiority, proudly
all the of the faultless
curves

conceit,
studied

graces

Ming

Blue. whose

Chosuke,

magic manipulation
this
to
ware,

of

clay only
the

and
two

fire

created

allowed
forth into

hundred
"

pieces
tantalize

go

world

to

the

critical

ment judg-

of The

posterity." Japanese
nature

became of

potters

by

the

peculiar
The in

their

environment.
are

islands, being mountainous,

watercourses,

rich them

which

carry

with with

great quantities of sand,

Thus
nature

mixed

clay. by
of

the with

nation

has

been

furnished varieties

the
are

numberless essential
for

paste which
The
a

good pottery.
of

first authentic

potter
the
name

Japan
of

was

Buddhistic

priest by

Giyoji.

THE

ORNAMENTAL

ARTS

23

To

the from

ceramic

rived pieces originally dethe numberless isolated and of

China,

kilns, established

in all the the the

provinces,

particularly
Kyoto,
as,

in

neighbourhood
of

added for

beauty
the

their
Timba

ucts, prodkiln,

instance,
brown
at

with

its

heavy

and the

yellow glazes.
end after of
tea

Then,

suddenly,
century,
the

the

teenth sixcome be-

shortly

had
and

national
tea

beverage
had marvellous
art

the into

elaborate vogue, of

ceremonies
came
a

come

there

outburst
a

colour,

the

ceramic and

underwent

complete
pottery skill,as
ware

revolution,
of remarkable the

the

results

were

ingenuity, Kiyomidzu,
of coffee

taste, and
Omura

Awata,
colour

and and in

of

the with

milk,

covered

classic
and

decoration red
was

starchy

blue, light green,

Ninsei these of this three

coral.
the founder the of

(f 1660)
kilns.

He

was

originator

style of pottery,

and

of all decorated

232

JAPANESE

ART

pottery.
rare.

Authentic
a

specimens
"

are

very these least the

Many
are

bit of

old

Kyoto,"
to

as

wares

called, supposed
years
a

be

at

three

hundred

old, shows
made of

in

cracklin

ground

mark

by

some

unscrupulous
Like

tradesman

to-day.
was

all great with

as

potters,
brush. of
a

Ninsei His

very

skilful
as

his those of

decorations,

well

his

contemporaries,
There touch
were

were

worthy
of
on

painter.
with
a

storks

pure

white

of

milion ver-

the

head,

chrysanthemums
each

with

petals overlapping
with half
a

other, landscapes
of

dozen

strokes
court

the

brush,
etc.
were

figures in
Two Kenzan and Imado. and his of bold ceramic archaic of

elaborate his

dresses,

foremost
a

disciples
brother the massive tried
to

(1663- 1743),
Yeiraku,
Kenzan who

of

Korin,
kiln forms of

founded

preferred
He

decorations.

give

productions
heaviness
and

the

appearance awkwardness.

THE

ORNAMENTAL

ARTS

233

They
lustre

are

remarkably
subdued who

beautiful

in

their

and

colouring.
lived
in

Yeiraku,
the his

the
was

latter
a

part

of in

eighteenth century, profession.

Gonse

virtuoso **le

calls He
of

him

plus
form

etonnant

pasticheur."
in
a

neglected
colour and

somewhat He
was

favour

schemes.

perfect technician,
in

equally

successful

metallic, speckled, iridescent,

delicate his that his work. effects. He
a

dull, vigorous, and

sometimes animated

surface
lent
a

with

crystalline shimmer
ethereal
were

peculiar
tea-sets

charm

to

His

particularly in
Other

demand. work
were

potters,

whose

is

highly
who
ettes; statu-

esteemed

by collectors,
in the

Shioukai,
of

excelled

modelling
and Mokubei

little
and
to

Dohatchi

Roku-

bei, who

devoted

themselves

miniature
of animals. followers

bric-^-brac, mostly in the

The is
a

shape
and

pottery

of

Ninsei

his Their

truly

native

product

glazes.

234

JAPANESE

ART

composition
work is

of

colours,

crackle, and
them.

laceIt is
trast con-

entirely original with

in

invariably picturesque
to
severe

effect, in
and

the

academic of

conceptions,
Chinese the

the

formalism
can

ceramics.

Experts piece They

of

recognize
most

origin

of

pottery
that

easily by greenish

its colour. grays

are

know
to

soft Sanda

peculiar
grays that and and Somaw

the

Seiji kiln,
to

delicate

salmon
are

shades excels
Oki

the

Haji style;
grays

in in

speckled
lustrous
are
a

browns,
that

and
opaque

yellow

browns;

inglazes

acteristic charthat

of the the of Oriba

Shigariki school,
have made
a

and

potters
effects.
of

specialty

splashed
The
secrets

porcelain
into

manufacture

were

introduced 1520. from

Japan

by

Shonsoi of

in
was

Arita, in the
the

province
is still

Hizen,

start, and

to-day, the
town

leading porcelain manufacturing

Japan.
The
ware was

of

called

Imari, simply

THE

ORNAMENTAL

ARTS

235

because of

Imari,
is

at

the

head

of

the

gulf

Omura,

the

principal shipping port

Every
other

for Arita's

products.
street

shop
to

in the

the

main

of

Arita the

is devoted noise of the

sale of pottery, while

clay-

grinding

and

pulverizing
the
town ear,
a

machines
on

ually continside of

haunts
the the
narrow

for

either

watercourse

supplies kept
in action

power

by

which

they

are

night
The

and

day.
of the

larger part
is the

pottery
blue Arita

produced
and white

here

underglazed
which
was

combination

made

famous,
in is

and
the

which Delft
no means

successfully
But the
to

imitated

ware.

manufacture that

by

confined

class; the
at

Koransha
the and

factory, so

well

represented

Chicago
table
sets

Fair, also produces

in combinations

jars,vases,
of rich brown.
as

dark

green, The
as

red, gold, and

chocolate
is almost

Kaga
of

porcelain

famous

that

Arita.

About

1650, Saitchiso,

236
after

JAPANESE

ART

serving
went

long apprenticeship
to

with

Shonsai,
those

Koutani,
known

and
as

created tani Kou-

choice
ware,
are

specimens

masked
not

by

enamels. but

His full of

ucts prodenergy

numerous,

in

their

colouring

of

manganese, and

myrtle
white, and

green, enriched

faded in

yellow, black,
the of
more

valuable
and silver. is

specimens
The
parency trans-

by coatings
of
ware

gold

the

glaze
as

exquisite.
as

The
as

is

very

rare,

Shonsai,
a

well of

his
Kano

successor,

Morikaghe,
could
never

painter
be

the
to

school,
for the

induced

work
Most is
seems

ordinary
of
ware.

trade.

popular
Satsuma
to

all

Japanese
The

porcelains
idea

the

general
were

be

that

its the which

products

rather
case.

large
The

in

size, but
vases

opposite is the
we

large

see

so

often for

at

auction

sales

were

specially made
The
ware

the

European
for its

market.

is known tones,
which

soft, cream-coloured

THE

ORNAMENTAL

ARTS

237

have

almost

the

effect

of

old

ivory, with
with

delicate

colour

decoration

broken

pale gold By
Bizen far
ware,

tints.
more

original, however,
at

is

the

its best its sheen dull of

in

the

nineteenth

century,
the

with

leaden

blues,
and

and the
ware,

metallic

brown,
Banko

quaint intrinsicallyoriginal
worked
out

of

sheets

of thin in

clay,pressed,
white

folded, cut, and

or

patterned
with

mosaic,
in low
as

embellished

glazed figures
so

relief,and
bits of
over a

resembling nothing
gray
or

much stretched

soft hidden

white

crepe

frame.

Very
made

little progress, the the with

has artistically,
manufacture
are

been

in

porcelain
manufacturers

since

1800,

"

apparently
handed

satisfied down

copying
the

the

models the

from

past,

"

while
process

purely
been and

mechanical

parts of the

have

steadily improved.
Arita
can

Banko,

Kyoto,
to

still be

bought

advantage

Bronze

Vase.

THE

ORNAMENTAL

ARTS

239

produce
far

picture
the

of

variegated
and

colours

"

beyond

reach

skill of Western

artisans.

Braziers,
flower
vases,

incense-holders,

water-tanks,
memorial bronze
to

standing lanterns,
tomb doors of in gave

tablets, and
workers show in

the

abundance

opportunity
metal

their

skill

handling
The

also of feet

larger

dimensions.
feet

big by

bell

Kyoto,
two

fourteen in

high

nine that the

inches

diameter,
initiated

proves into

they

were

thoroughly
bronze The

secrets

of

casting. casting
for
some

of

memorial

lantern,
was

or

column

temple,

usually
with

public
festive

and

outdoor

affair, attended Furnaces,

and

hilarities.

bellows,

ing-pots, cast-

tools,

appliances
at

were

brought
the

to

or

prepared
the
process

the
were

spot, and
watched

details

of

by holiday
Their

crowds. of bronze

methods

casting,

and

240

JAPANESE

ART

their

jealously guarded
metallic work
or

secrets
seem

of
to

alloy,
be of
At

niello, and Chinese, least, such

forms and and flower

Persian,
is the

Indian

origin.

opinion
of old in
a

of experts.

The

shapes
vases, to

temple
my

ornaments

opinion, point origin.

and freedom minute

unmistakably
There in and their is
a

Persian grace

peculiar despite
details. them
in

work,

its manifold

delicate
with

Nobody

can

pete com-

representing,
Unes
most
even

for

instance,
leaf. The

the

undulating fidelity in

of

lotus

the

minute
to
on

markings
motion

of and

leaf colour

and of

flower,

the their it is

rain-drops

cup-shaped
inimitable.
and
so

surfaces, is amazing
Their
seem

as

bronze
to

birds,
with

fishes, life,

insects
true
are

be

instinct
In

they
and

to

nature.

expressing
and

the
and

atdtudes
the

motions grace

of fish of

fowl,

sportive
and

domestic

animals

little forest

creatures,

they

THE

ORNAMENTAL

ARTS

24

have also

never

been

surpassed.
of
to

Remarkable the metal with value

sition. compoa rare

is

their

knowledge
in

of

reflected

light

relation their

It endows

work

pictorialquality.
In

the

fifteenth

century, the
in
was

Goto

and works. classic of this

Sojo
The age time

families seventeenth for have in

excelled

metal the

century
work. The

metal
a

bronzes of form,
a

certain

severity
and

great
black the

vigour
colour. forms the

the
In

modelling,
the
more

dull

following
graceful
was

century
in

became

line, and

colour and

effect

heightened
of metals.

by

the This in

inlaying
age
cire

overlaying
the

also

produced

greatest workers

perdu. principal artists

and of this

The Seimin

period

were

Taoun,
of

both their

incomparable
material,

in

the

mastery

Tiyo,

Keisai,
and

Jiogioko, Somin,
The

Seifu, Tokusai,
of
any

Nakoshi.

signature

of

242

JAPANESE

ART

these

men

on

piece

of work

guarantees

its artistic

value. modem work of

Although
up
to

does
the The

not

come

the very

standard beautiful.
which

old, it is bronzes,
such
a

at

times with

set

jewels,
at

created

tion sensa-

the

Centennial show that

Exposition
the

at

adelphia, Phil-

metal

workers

still possess These

some

originality.
bronzes and from

jewel-incrusted
On the

have
bard scabtwo

story.
of
to

hilt, handle,
swords
were

the

samurai's
ornaments

twenty
in

embedded,

wrought
the

metal,

with After

the the the and

highest
issue
use

art

of
an

metallurgist.
edict in

of

imperial
was

1868,

of

swords

suddenly abolished,
as

the
were

samurais,

impoverished

they

were,

practical
weapons.

enough
The with

to

dispose

of their

feudal
was

market,
an

consequently,
stock
of these

glutted
jewels.
of
art

amazing

sword
gems

By

happy

thought

Bronze

Vase.

THE

ORNAMENTAL

ARTS

243

were

applied
those like

to

bronzes,
vases

and and

the

results

were

quaint
the

jars, which
of
some

look Eastern The native

"Holy

Grails"

legend.
noblest in of

Japanese

crafts, purely
is that
as

origin

and
In

development,
same

of
has has

lacquering. given given

its
name

the
to to
to

way

China

all

porcelain, Japan

its

name

all

lacquer

ware,

first

introduced of The

the in

knowledge
the

and

admiration

Europe

seventeenth

century.

beauty

and

excellence
and

of

Japanese

lacquer,
has

its mirror-like
never

proof rain-

surface,
not
even

been

matched,

in

China.
^

The

materials

for

writing,

household
cups

furnishings, and
and
saucers,

personal adornment,
sake

trays and
and

cine bottles, mediarticles of

boxes civic

dishes, with
and warlike

ceremony and
armour,

helmets,
the of its

shields,

furnished

cipal prinfinest

fields

for

the

display

244

JAPANESE

ART

artistic

achievements,
such
as

though

large

faces, sur-

doors,

staircases,

ceilings,
even

frames

and
were

panels, vehicles, lacquered.

lacquer
varnish

and

ships,
The

Japanese
from the
a

is

ered gathit is of
to

urushi-tree,
finer
gum

which,
than

said, supplies
any other

that

species.

It

is

subjected

various

manipulations
before it
can

and

refining
mixed
first

cesses pro-

safely be
From the

with

colouring
to
as

matter.

ing gathercare

the the

last

application, increasing
or

to

dryness
the

moisture of every
are

of

the

mosphere at-

exclusion

particle
essential.
of secret with up
to
are

of dust, and The workmen

other
are

conditions,
"

in
must

possession
be

processes," knowing

and

we

satisfied

that
"

layer
of the

after

layer

"

fifty coats
laid
on

lacquer
at

varnish

the

basic and

material
that
a

intervals
it has

of

days

or

weeks,
dried
"

after

oughly thor-

and, by

strange

paradox.

THE

ORNAMENTAL

ARTS

245

it must
or

dry

in

dampness,
with the of
same

well

moistened,
else it will cess progers, fin-

even

saturated stick
"

water,

run

or

smoothing
and the

with after

lumps
all

charcoal
most

the is

perfect polishing

instruments,
The made

repeated.
to

articles
of

be

lacquered

are

ally genervery that

or

fine-grained pine wood,

and

carefully
not

seasoned

smoothed,
of But used.

so

the

slightest inequality
of

surface also
In

roughness ivory, and

finer and in

edge

remains.
are

silk,
the their and
nor

tortoise-shell

older

specimens, bringing
the

weight
immune

gold,
that

varnish

is

so

hard
water

neither
afifect

boiling
its

boiling
The from

oil
art

will of

surface.

lacquering

dates

historically
tion tradiwhen
not

the

seventh its

century,
birth
and the
now

though
ages had

assigns
almanacs, yet
Not arrived
a

to

the

clocks,
from

writings
Asian
in

mainland. national
or

few

articles,

246

JAPANESE

ART

private
evidence,
"

museums,
over a

are,

by

documentary
years Griffis had his

thousand

old.

In

old

feudal every

days," daimyo

relates,
court

"

when

nearly
set

lacquerer, a
toilet
a

of household
was

furniture of the of
a

and of

utensils

part
the
for

dowry

noble
was

lady.
common

On

birth

daughter,
artist
to

it

the of

lacquer
a

begin washing
or a

the
-

making
a

mirror-case,
a

bowl,
of
to

cabinet,

clothes-rack,

chest
one

drawers,
whole
or

often years

occupying
on a

from

five

single
quire re-

article.

An

inro,
years
to

pill-box, might

several small time outfit The of

for go

perfection, though
a

enough
the of young

into
was

fob.

By

the her

lady
was

marriageable,

lacquer
first

superb."
of from the existence the the ninth

information
ware

lacquer
In

dates book red

century.

published by
and

losophe phi-

Shihei,
are

golden
At

lacquer
the be-

incidentally

mentioned.

THE

ORNAMENTAL

ARTS

247

ginning lacquer,

of the

tenth

century,

the

Nashidji
colour,

of

yellowish
gold,
was

orange

sprinkled
The

with

invented.
of whom tic authenwas

oldest

lacquerer,
can

specimens Hoyami generally

still be

procured,
His soft of

Koyetsu
assumed
to
a

(i556-1637).
an

black
brown oured col-

agreeable

tint, owing

substratum A few years and

red

lacquer.
sou,

later, SoyetKorin
became of the

Koma

Kiuhaka,
With sugar
were

prominent.
hue of

them,
came

lacquer
into

maple

fashion.

Their

designs
for bravura

able chiefly distinguishof execution. Korin's

pieces vigour.
pewter,
His soft

were

almost
was

repellent
the tin red

by

their

He

first
in

to

introduce work.

lead,
of
a

and

lacquer

gold
in

rich
an

hue, pleasant and

to

tone,

"

apposition
and

the

tomary cus-

brownish

yellowish gold,
but
never

"

has

often

been

imitated,

celled. ex-

248
The streams,
and Chinese the

JAPANESE

ART

favourite

subjects
and
sea

of

crane

and drops rain-

rock

waves,

petrels,

cloud

and

dragon,
or

poetry,
of and

idealized

landscapes, designs,
The his
were

repertoire
over

graphic
over

repeated
knew in them

again.
;

artist

by
and

heart the and

they

were

stock
with many

trade,

public,

familiar for

these

standards

symbols
and in

generations,
them. borders floral and Also
or

understood

appreciated
the form of with

pet

patterns,
in

diapers
other

combination
were

designs,

used

with

excellent Of
the

effect.

twenty
of

-eight
Japan,
where

most

famous

lacquer
flourished

artists
in

the
the

majority
and

Yedo,

beauty
its

delicacy

of

execution

reached

highest

perfection. Ogawa
in the

Ritsuo, whom

I have
as

mentioned
one

preceding
sculptors

chapter
of

of

the

foremost

Japan,

is

probably

THE

ORNAMENTAL

ARTS

249

the
ever

most

skilful

lacquerer
His

the is

world

has

known.

style

considered
in the of

classic.

Nobody

excelled and of

him

cate delithe the His

management lac, in the

science

decoration

composition,
of the

and

profound

knowledge
that
rare

craft.

gold,
novel

like and
a

of

the

great

Korin,
of

full

of

effects, capable
gamut
of

running
yet
green,

through
brilliant would His

whole of
a

sober

tones

red, yellow, and

deserve

special study.
cabinets,
to

miniature

jewel
most
can

and

ing writ-

boxes

belong
decoration have

the

beautiful

pieces
But in

of

which
very
turn

be

seen.

they
Japan
He

grown

scarce,

even

and itself,
was
a

rarely
great
did

up

in

any of

sale.

manipulator
not

materials;
he

lac

alone and

satisfy him:
into

inserted

ivory

agates

his

positions, com-

tortoise-shell,coral, and

motheras

of-pearl, and
well
as

pieces
and

of

ancient in

pottery,

gold

silver

rich

profusion.

250
He

JAPANESE

ART

incrusted,
he

he

modelled,
and His his

he

scened, damawith
was

soldered

riveted
treatment

marvellous

precision.
sculpturesque, rugged,
many

always
bold He
zan, next

outlines

were

and had

and

his

modelling superb. notably

Hanzan lacist in Hancame

followers,

Zeshin,
to

and
master

Kenya.
as a

his of him

certain
celled ex-

effects

great
in
was

brilliancy,and
combinations of

even

lac of

and senting repre-

pearl.

He fish

particularlyfond
and
a

shells rich

in

their

natural of
a

colours avanturine and every his wood

upon

background
who
had in

rich wild

gold.

Zeshin,

unrestrained other kind of

fancy, imitated
of

lacquer
of and the of

material.
like

Some

pieces

lac

look

pottery
all

carvings,
and

others

reproduce
and

lustre
an

golden
bronze,
less than

browns

yellows
by

ancient
had

discoloured

age. and
was

Kenya

vigour, invention,
the other

originality

two,

but

THE

ORNAMENTAL

ARTS

25

almost
materials effect. The school
a

their and

equal
in

in

the

combination
of

of

richness

pictorial

last of

faithful

adherent
was

of

the

old

lacquering
of the

Watanobe who of
at
a

Tosu,
still lived last
tury, cen-

contemporary

Zeshin,

in

Tokyo

in

seventies years six

the

working
ten

for and

tobacco-box

by eight
order The

inches

in

dimensions,

by

of the old

empress.

artisans, who

made

beautiful the
as

and of
to
nest eara

ingenious daimyo,
and

things
to

to

please

fancy

be

presented
put

gifts
and
;

neighbouring
work
now

daimyo,

good

into the their

everything they
workmen unmercenary

made have

but

that

average old
to

doned aban-

standard

and

cater

foreign
same

taste,
stock

continually
of ideas and have
to

reproducing
set

the

of

symbols,

their bad

productions
in
taste

become

exceedingly

the

connoisseur.

252

JAPANESE

ART

And

yet,
to

being
any
of

after

all

good

deal

superior
their faint

our

factory
still

bric-^-brac,
to

productions
idea
of

are

able

give

us

the
the

remarkable

able imperishold

qualities

of

art

of

Japan.

CHAPTER

VIII.

MODERN

JAPANESE

ART

fHE
taken

political
place
of the in

changes
Japan
to
"

which the

had

ing openmerce com-

islands
the

foreign

in between the

1859,

inevitable

struggle
and fall downt^^ lishment estabits

decrepit
vassals,

Shogunate
the

recalcitrant
of the of

complete
^^^

former

in

1867,

new

political
the of

organization,

presided
the
the

over

by

Mikado,
its
not

affecting
life the
to

expressions
very
core,

national

did

leave

arts

untouched.
For

decade
with

or

so,

when

the

nation
for

was

seized

sudden

passion sadly

Western

ideas,

art

was

neglected,

"S3

MODERN

JAPANESE

ART

255

establish had
The been

art

academies,

which

hitherto

unknown. of this influence

a firstly, new

results It has

were

fold. two-

created,
the

school, West,
in

based which have

entirely on
European
been
of the

art

of

the

methods
to

and

material^
sion excluit has

adopted

the

complete

Japanese.
into the

Secondly,
of
new

penetrated
art to

recesses

Japanese
school
the old

itself,causing arise, which,

with of
to

yet another
it works old

while the

in

lines, and
the virtues

materials, ideas,
them
so

admits
deavours en-

Western

and far of
as

assimilate
the three
art

it is

able. is

Thus,
into their of carried the

world

Japan

split
in

tinct sections, perfectly disand well in

views,
the

defined
which

in

the views

results
are

work

these

out.

They

may

fittingly
ate Moder-

be

termed

Conservatives,
and the

the

Conservatives,
The Conservatives

Radicals.

naturally represent

256
the there whose

JAPANESE

ART

old
is
name

traditional
among could artists
"

school.
no

Although
master
on

them be who

alive roll of there

put
have

the

the
are

great
many

been,"
lack

who,

whilst

they

inventive skill of
a

power,

still possess

executive
are

high

order,

and

able

to

preserve, of

at least, technically,

the

traditions

their

predecessors.
Kikuchi Matsumato traditions and Isen

Yosai, Fuko,

and
tried
to

later

his
up

pupil,
the old

keep

by painting
and their

historical

pictures,
inventive with ing copy-

Shosen,
own,
were

lacking busy
Imao

spirit of

ancient

masterpieces,
his

Keinen,
of birds
cessfully suc-

noted
and

for

graphic
and

delineation worked

flowers,
in

Giokusen

the
a

Okyo
most

style.

The

latter mono kakeout

artist

produced
in his

remarkable

"Ghost,"
black

floating
shock of

up

of

space,

the

head,
most

hair, and
on

shoulders

minutely painted

the

KiosAi.

"

Council

in

the

Dragon

Castle.

MODERN

JAPANESE

ART

257

border,
away sai's

while the

the
silken

rest

of

the

body
Also Hokkei
were

fades

into
two

canvas.

Hoku*
and still who

talented Kiosai Both their

were

pupils,

Kawanobe

(i831-1889),

living.
followed

gifted workmen, exactly

but power
seem
as

master manner,

regards
that the

subjects

and

they
which

fail in made

mysterious
works of

creative

Hokusai Yosai

alive.

Kikuchi
a

(i 787-1878)
He
as

reallyneeds
is in his way
or

chapter

by

himself.
an

as

remarkable
He and

artist

Hiroshige
famous when
use as

Hokusai.
historian
up

was

already

an

literaryman
and he
new

he of

took all his came be-

painting,
in

made

learning
the

the

profession.
of

He

delineator
"

historical
"

ages. person-

His

Kanoaka

painting
Like Alma

is

good

example
he made

of his work.

Tadema,

the

most

scrupulous
it is the
are more

cal archaeologiastonishing
itself.

studies, and
that his

compositions

simplicity

258
He is

JAPANESE

ART

even

disdained
with in
a

the

use

of colour. what
as

He he
as

satisfied

frankly telling masterly

In way pure He is

knows,

yet

far

drawing
have
been

is concerned. his of

line the

few gant eleand

superior.
historical

causeur

anecdotes,
to to

his
even

kakemonos
more

appeal strongly
than

one's one's is

intellect eyes.

The Western.

work

of

the found

Radicals the

entirely styles
new

They
to

classical
of the
a

unequal
ideas, and

the

expression

largely unintelligibleto
and

ern modpean Euro-

public,

frankly adopted
In their

the

style of painting.
themes,
in the in the mediums

choice

of and

employed,
differ realize has
to

treatment, artists.
this

they hardly
In order
to

from how
sider con-

European
remarkable
how

really is, one

is the

complete
under the

transformation
it is

of conditions
It is not

which

produced.
watercanvas

merely
to

transition

from of

colour

oil, the

substitution

MODERN

JAPANESE

ART

259

for the

absorbent

paper,

but the

the

whole

method,
and the the doned. aban-

composition,
have also ways Their

principles

ideas

been have

transformed;
been

ancestral

entirely

pictures
but
at

denote

enthusiasm
same

and

eager lack

study,
of

the

time

painful

individuality.
if it
were

It is exceedingly for from older the

doubtful and

possible
to

individual
to

artists

change

old

the

new.

The
sou

Radical Kwai

school,

called

Meiji Bijutis and

(founded
of young

1889),
men

composed
women, amateurs.

exclusively
many of

them

being

merely
but

Being

really nothing
had
some

students,
to

they
the

invariably
methods
his Their

attached Western

themselves

of

artist, caught
on

style,and
first in

formed

themselves of
not

him.
at

exhibition
was

pictures,
numerous,

Tokyo,
but

1890,

very in every

it reflected
manner,

almost

instance

the

the

subject, the

composition,

MODERN

JAPANESE

ART

26

neither

the
nor

pictures story-telling
the

of

Kouies stud-

roda,
of

impressionisticfigure
Wada had any

Eisaku
in

striking

merit
a

themselves.
measure

They
of

ever, attracted, how-

large

public

attention,

and between

gave

rise

to

lively controversy
of the old and
new

the

adherents

styles.
The
are
even

sculptors
less

of

the

new

movement

original

than

the
up

painters.
in

The
are

monuments

recently put
bad
as some

Japan
bronze

fully

as

of

the
our

statuary
squares. General

which

disgraces
the

public
statue

Only
Kusunoke Takamura

equestrian

of the of

Masashige,
Korin,
is

by

sculptor
some

worthy

consideration.
The

Radicals

never

convince

us

when

they

attempt
most

elaborate

compositions. picture,
of
"An

Kouroda's Old
and

important
a

Story,"depicting
young
men

number

geishas

in

temple garden, listen-

262

JAPANESE

ART

ing
is

to not

the
even

flute-playingof
as

an

old
Alma

priest,
Taand

interesting
views
of

as

dema,
river of

while
scenes,

his

Fusiyama

bearing

all the

characteristics
are

Japanese

composition,

exquisite
with

creations. and of

They
and the

are

vibrant

light

warmth,
nature

show Western school

never

keen

observation

in Radical It

sense.

The future. Its their

seems

to

have

no

will

become

national.
to

exponents

have
at

nothing

say

to

countrymen,
value.

ing least, nothing of last-

They
no

will

always
whether
or

be

ered considhave

aliens,
their studios

matter

they
New

in
a

Tokyo
very York

York.

Genjiro
has has made

Yeto,
New

talented his

artist, who
and the who ideals

home,
all
to

deliberately
countrymen
statement
to

abandoned
in

of his this

regard
a

art, proves
It

to

be

true

one.

is

impossible
artist,
as

classify him nothing

in

as

Japanese
with

he

has

common

MODERN

JAPANESE

ART

263
will
never

his
be has

country, and

I fear
an

that

he

regarded
remained

as

American

artist, as
Oriental

he in

thoroughly
else but of his
art.

everything
The
which nation

process has

absorbing
occupied
last

new

ideas,

mainly
the

the

Japanese
would,
without did

during
have

thirty years, incomplete

however,
this

been It the

innovation.
it enabled with numbers many
one

undoubtedly
Japanese
art to

good;
touch the how
now

get But,
it

in of up,

Western who

ideas.
taken

have

will

remain
assert

faithful? that
it
was

Even

might
to
an

only
of of

means

end.

Innovations
amount

this

kind

do
rouse

an

immense

good;
make

they
them

people

out

of

sleep ; they
and

earnest, and
no

enthusiastic,
the
"new

ful, thoughtwere

doubt
a

Radicals art."

right
every

in
true to

preaching
lover of

Yet,
to to

art

will all

rejoice

hear, that
assimilate

this very

day,

attempts

264
their
as

JAPANESE

ART

art

to

ours

have

been

unsuccessful,
to

the

world

cannot

afford
so

lose in

an

art

which

is

so

unique,
no

perfect

its
can

own

line, and

which

other

country

cessfully suc-

emulate.
Meanwhile
up
a

lucrative

trade

had

sprung and
art

in

the

exportation
wares.

of

antiques
Japanese

modern had

decorated become
a craze

in

the which

West,
had

and done

the
so

Japanese
much
to

government,
meet
as

the
to

general
the of

demand

for

information

learning,

customs,

laws, and
found

institutions
at

foreign countries,
to

it,
for

last, advisable encouragement

that been the

do

thing some-

the

of

its native
of

art.

It

realized had the

flower

its

civilization

sadly
of the

neglected.
tradition
and

Nearly
had

all

artists

old

died

without

leaving heirs,
of

the

plundered
was

stock

antique
At

art

treasures

well-nigh
year
1888

exhausted. the

the of

close Educa-

of

the

Department

MODERN

JAPANESE

ART

265
of

tion
Fine

opened
Arts
at
as

the

first native

Academy
Kakuzo selection

Tokyo.

It selected the

Okakura

director, and
be
a

proved

to
no

very

adequate
he is who
a

one.

Although
of
see

artist
art

himself,

man

considerable the

knowledge,
in

can

good
art, is and

both the

Eastern touch of

and his

Western

wise felt.

advice
He

everywhere
around

gathered
the few

himself

as

tors instrucwho

"progressive"
in the
arts

masters

still

survived metal

of bronze the

painting,
casting,
younger tions tradidied still
ment. move-

sculpture,

chasing, enabUng
the

lacquering, generation
before
out.

etc.,
to

learn

respective

they

had

completely
Zeshin
was

The

lacquerer
induced
to

living,and
The

join

the under

new

government,
entrusted
to

imperial
for of the and

patronage,

commissions

public

works
and

the

professors
to

academy,

granted

students

266

JAPANESE

ART

artists
titles.
museum

pecuniary
It also for the relics

prizes
a

with
new

honorary
national and

founded

preservation
in
to

study
granted
desirous with Nara the the of

of

important

Tokyo,
art

and

special privileges
of the

students

becoming
collections The of

intimately acquainted
of the old
two

Kyoto
are

and imder

museums.

latter

direction old

Yamataka,
has made

an

expert
a

of

style, who
annual

specialty
of

arranging
art

loan contained

exhibitions
in the

the

treasures

monasteries islands.
of
on

and

temples
Our

throughout
in
a

hopes

renaissance fixed

Japanese
the
on

art

must

inevitably be
Conservatives.

erate Modthe

Working
the old
to

old

lines, and

with

materials,
the

they

endeavour,
of Western

by

yielding
to

influences

methods,
What

enlarge
are

their

own

limitations.

they
at

capable

of,

they
Fair.

have

shown
at

the

Chicago

World's

While

all

previous

expositions

MODERN

JAPANESE

ART

267

at

Vienna,
art

at

Paris, and

at
were

Philadelphia, largely
due
or

Japan's
to

triumphs
collections

her

loan

of

antiques
for has
to

modern

replica, at
modern dared
to

Chicago,
art

the

first

time,

Japanese
be

ately deliber-

original,and
her

ask

the
art

world's
on

favour
own

for

contemporary

its
The

merits.
that

fact
treatment

Western

art

demands

fuller

of subordinate the

ever, parts, howartist in in many many

involved

Japanese

unexpected
instances
Let
me

difficulties, which
he did
not

succeed

in
one

mastering.
bition Exhihave it.

exemplify
pictures.

this

by

of the who

My
Fair

readers may

visited Two
one

the

Chicago
geese,

still recall
to

wild
of them

drawn
out

perfection,
the
a

coming
you,
are

of

picture
ing heav-

straight at
with of the

flying over
waves.

sea,

impossible
geese

The

incident
a

flying

no

artist
so

but

ese Japan-

could

have

portrayed

deftly, nor

MODERN

JAPANESE

ART

269

achieved

remarkable
in and the

success

with He

large landscape
has scheme conceived of
a

Exhibition.
a

achieved the in

perfect
of old his
art.

light through thing

unknown
of

whole the and whole

picture,
It
was a

landscape
a

rocks
The

mapleof it

trees,
was

with

waterfall.

full of the the

light of day,
its
turn

which

glittered
wash of

in

sky
which of

with in the the

traditional
scintillated

gold,
the

through
leaves,
from river
as

glow

crimson cloud of in

maple
spray the

illuminated

the it

waterfall, and

sparkled
sight.
away Yet

passed
not
tear

out

of

even

Gaho rocks
;

could treated
were

himself old

from
manner

in

the

traditional and

they

crudely outlined,
washed of
cut-out

the the

surfaces

simply
simile about

in,

so

that of

irreverent
was

pieces

cardboard

justified.
Other which the works of

special remark,
choice

with dis-

small, but

Chicago

270

JAPANESE

ART

play

made

us

acquainted,

were

summer

landscape by Kumagaye originally composed Ogato

a

Naokiko

very

"Procession/*
of

by

Gekko;

group
snow,

fowl

against

background
;

of
head

by
a

Watanabe
marvel

Seitei
of

and

the

of

tigress,a

Japanese

realism

and Kishi
a

technical

complishme ac-

by grandson painter.
an

Chikudo,

the
animal

of
In

Ganku,

celebrated
ape

sculpture, the
Takamaru
of

watching
the the
ing leadette statu-

eagle, by

Kowun,

professor
of the

wood-carving;

the

Buddhist

divinity Kwannon,
ever

largest ivory carving

Ichikawa

made,
and
the

by

the

famous

Komei;
of

did splenBenten,

bronze

relief
for the

the

goddess
and of the

remarkable
of

richness
caster

elegance
new

lines, by the great

Okasaki

art

school,
honours.

Sessei,

carried

off

the

Professor this relief

Ernest
the
most

F.

Fenellosa

considers

notably

contribution

MODERN

JAPANESE

ART

27

to

Japanese

sculpture

of recent words bronze seventh has

years.
:

He

praises

it in the the school

following simpler
of the

"Taking
the
as

reliefs

of

Nara his
a

century
them

he starting-point,

invested

with

wealth
Tosa

of

line

structure

suggested
of

by

the

religious painters fusing

both elements of

the
a

thirteenth,

into the
'

splendid original impression

of the this laws work

dess Godwith

Music,'
of low the

so

perfectly in
in bronze

accord
as

relief

to

make
of the

Japanese
of

analogue

purest

period

the

corresponding
art"
a

teenthfif-

Italian

Among
executed
a

the

lacquer work, Shirayama

deal of

book-shelf
tracted at-

by good
be the and

Fukumatsu attention.
It the

was

said

to

finest

product
of
a

of

last

forty years,
bestowed
suo

worthy
it. Even

the

adulations
or

upon

Korin
of its

Rit-

might

have

been

proud

ship. author-

272

JAPANESE

ART

It

can

nevertheless
art

not

be
a

denied rather
of
our

that
ductive unprotime deur gran-

Japanese

has

entered

period.
that the
monuments to

It is outside

of

true

artistic

have
All the have

be

sought
of rules
to

constraint
been mind it
was

and

tions tradithe

required
produce
the

make

Japanese
of and value.

artistic these

beauty
rules

which

capable.
have

Now

traditions The
a new

considerably
have

lost

their
in

Japanese
China,
the
now

found
as

Europe

and,
of

formerly
Celestial

they

imitated

art

the of

Kingdom,
Western But

they
art.

dream

adapting

it is the and

introduction

of

the

ever-

prevailing

all-pervading spirit of
has
art.

mercialism com-

which
harm
to

done When
to

the
the

most

Japanese
is

whole

population
for
to

given

up

cult trade, it is diffithe of

art

the

small

voice
the

of
roar

worker wheels

be

heard

above

the

MODERN

JAPANESE

ART

273

of

Mammon's
Art

car,

as

it has

heavily grinds
ceased, and
it of

along.
artists resist dealers

patronage
artisans

the
to

and the

find

impossible

tempting
are

offers

unscrupulous
the
duction repro-

who

content

with and

of

traditional
as

conventional
or even

ideas,

with

little
matter
as

invention,
of

ingenuity

in the

conception
well in
be. this

and

workmanship,
what
is
to

might
concern

And
matter

is of fact

special
that any

the make

the

true

artist, unwilling
finds it

concessions,
compete
with every

possible im-

to

factory
other

work. man, work-

Surely

the

artist, like
to

is entitled
for his

adequate
the

remuneration

labour.

Under
the

present
to

tion condi-

of
as

things,
and

artist, forced
as

work

quickly
his
to

cheaply

possible,

cannot

bring

individuality into
compromise
an

play.
transform

He

is his

obliged
studio

and

into

ordinary workshop.
has

John

LaFarge

sized

up

the

situa-

274

JAPANESE

ART

tion

in

rather
manner.

vague, He

but

sincere
in
one

and
of

sympathetic
his
" *"

said
"

Letters sadness
some

from
comes

Japan
upon modem with
no

us

when

we

go

to

see

of

the

workers.
more

From
It

them is like
to
on an

we

depart
some

hope.

puzzle,
which

like you

having
know
cannot

listened

argument

is based
at

some

inaccuracy
detect

that

you about

the

moment

This

the call and

are

better,
it perfect,

the

new

perfect work,
means

if I

can

only high
the

finish

equal
less
prise. sur-

care.

But

individual
;

pieces
is
no

and

less individual
The
means

there
or

more

methods

are

being
one

carried asks
at

further
*

and

beyond^ why
this

so

that

one's
*

self, Then
The

these finer

methods
modern

all ?

style of
no

work
the

is poorer,

longer
as

connected

with
was

greater
into

design,
method
this is

if

ambition
of
us

going

and

value
to

material.
I cannot

Just how

far

owing

MODERN

JAPANESE

ART

275

tell,but
and of
our

the

market
has

is
a

largely European,
vague
of appearance

what

is done less and and

looking
works,
less

less out
as

place

among

has,

I said

before, less
None

and

suggestion
ever

of

individuality.
it the

of it would
an

give
none

slight shock
have
of
we our

of
the
own

exception,

of
we

it would know that This

;

appearance best

which the
more

work,
to to
see

feeling
of

are

not

going

it

statement
more mon com-

applies

the

best

work
a

the

work

is
some

merely
part it, and
of

degradation,
the

the

using enough
defined
saw

of
to

methods;
some

just easily
I
can

sell

to

meet

immediate

commercial
years
our

needs. and New

I

the

beginnings
one

ago,

remember dealers that

of
on

great

York colours selves themin

marking
most
were

his

samples buyers,
the

the who

pleased

of his
to

again
Oshkosh colours
or or

place
Avenue.
were

goods
All

Third

other in his

patterns

tabooed

MODERN

JAPANESE

ART

277

who

carried
would and

the

borders for in

of

Greece
second

to

India,

become
create

time

possible,
a

both

hemispheres
than
either

far

more

rounded
known. her

civilization

has

ever

Through
her of the

temperament,

her into the

uality, individsecrets

deeper
her

insight ready

East,
of

designing
and
more

of than

the all the have

powers

the
the of

West,
fact that

through privilege
been

she

enjoys
it may

being
in

pioneer,
secret

decreed of

the
that the

council
her
art

bers chamshall
shall the
next

destiny
created

on

shores

be

first

new

which
for

prevail
thousand

throughout
years.

the

world

THE

END.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

^r

Dr.

C.
in

Dresser:

Art

of

Decorative from
in

Design.
the

Unity
World.

Variety,
and
Art

as

Deduced Industries

Vegetable

Art

Japan.
Art

*-"

J. J. Jarvis
Messrs.

Glimpsej"
and

at

the

of

Japan,
Art

1876.
of

Audsley

Bowen

Keramic

Japan,

1875-80.
r

Thomas

Cutter

Grammar

of

Japanese

Ornament

and

Design,
M.
^

1881.
Art

Franks:

Handbook

for

the

Collection

in

the

South

Kensington
zur

Museum.

Katalog
,

Austellung

der

japanischen
1882.

Malerei

im

liner Ber-

Kunstgewerbemuseum,
Alcock:
^

Art

and

Art

Industries

in

Japan,

London,

1878.
L.
y

GoNSB Anderson 1886.

L'Art

Japonais,
:

Paris,
Arts

1883.
of

W.
"

The

Pictorial

Japan,

London,

Brinckman
V

Kunst

and

Kunsthandwerk

in

Japan,

Berlin,

1889.

J79

28o

BIBLIOGRAPHY

"

W.

E.

Griffis

The
of

Mikado's Old

Empire, London,
in

N.

Y., 1870-74.

Mitford:
Miss
.

Tales

Japan,
Tracks

1871.
London,
1880.

Bird:

Unbeaten
:

Japan, Day,
N.

"

Bayard

Taylor
Rein
:

Japan
nach

in

Our
und

Y., 1872.
in

"

J. J.

Japan

Reisen

Studien

Auftrage

der 1881.
"^E.

K.
'

Preussishen
'

Reg^erung
'

dargestellt, Leipsic,

^y

Satow

and
in

A.

S.

S.

Hawes:

Handbook

for

ellers Trav-

Japan.
:

Heinrich

Schliemann

Le

Chine

et

le

Japon,

Paris,

1867.
"/

Adams

History
Present

of

Japan

from

the

Earliest

Time

to

the
^

Day,

London,

1875. 1892.

Bowsk:
/Black:
Appert:
V

Japanese Young
Ancien
:

Pottery, Liverpool, London, Tokyo,

1880-81. 1888.

Japan, Japon, L'Empire

Metchnikew
V

Japonais,

Geneva,

1881.

S.
V

Bing

Artistic
:

Japan. Japon
de des
nos

BousQUET
Rosny: Chamberlain:
La

Le

Jours, Paris, 1877. Paris, 1881.

and
in

Religion
The

Japonais,

Language,
of

Mythology,
Japan,
viewed

graphical Geothe

Nomenclature

light

of

Aino

studies,

Tokyo,

1887.

Things

Japanese,
V

London, Japanese

1892.
Houses and their Surrounds

E.

S.

Morse:

ings.
^

Gilbertson
E.
DE

Japanese
:

Lacquer.
et

Goncourt
:

Outomaro Illustration.

HokusaL

Strange
V

Japanese

BIBLIOGRAPHY

28

C.

Nbtto

and

G.

Wagener:

Japanischer

Humor,

Leipsic,
y

1901. and
M. Tomkinson

G.

A.

AuDSLEY

The

Art

Carvings

of

Japan,
Hearn

Ivory
:

and

Wood.

"^

Lafcadk)

Glimpses

of

Unfamiliar

Japan,

Boston,
Annales de

89

1.

Pextr^me

Orient,
Deutschen

Paris.

"

Mittheilungen
und

der

Gesellschaft

fur

Natur

Vdlkerkunde

Ostasiens,
the Asiatic

Yokohama

and

Berlin.

Transactions
V

of

Society
des Etudes

of

Japan. Japonaises,
Chi-

/Annuaires

de

la

Socidt^

noises,
Various

etc.

Edited

by

Em.

Burnouf. MalL

Articles

in

the

Japanese

Weekly

INDEX

Aboshi,

216.
of Fine

Chikamitsu, Arts,

96,
Kishi,

126.
270.

Academy

Tokyo,
188.

Chikudo,
Chinese

265,
Ainos, Andersen,
Architecture Huts

268.

Art,
20,

Influence

of,
57.

12^

of,
161.
and

187,

39-45.
71,

61,

62,

etseq,^

84.
93.

Sculpture,

Cho

Densu,
Death of

64,

174-215Arita, Assakura,
192. 225. Palace

SaJda,

65-66.

Chokichi, of,

204. 229.

Siga,

Chosuke, Chosun,
Hundred

Miyagawa,
Poets,
125.
of

124.

Atima,
Awata

27.

125.

Ware,

231.

Fans,
Mirror

Beauty,
57. 260. Difference

125.

Bampo
Barrison

Sen

Shio,

The,

216. 166.

Chwang,
Collins,

Chow,

Sisters,

The,

Raphael,

Bashio,
Botticelli,

96.
168. 159.
12, 14, 29,

Composition,
44-50.

in,

83.

seq-

Bracquemont,
Buddhism,
25, 37"
74,

15-19,
30,
et
et

20, seq,y seq.,

Dai-Butsus,
Of Of

193,

207-215.

26,
44.

Nara,

193,

208-209.
197,
207-

56* 189,

57. 229.

Kamakura, 208,
210,

187,

213.
207.

Bunlei,

133.
112,

Of

Asakasa,

Buntcho, Buretsu,
Bume-

126,

127. 18. Daishi

Of

Kyoto,
(Apostle
18.

209-210.
of

Emperor,
Jones,

Buddhism),

165. Dayuyi,

Temple
21.

of,

Tokyo,

Caricature, of,
Cellini,
see

Japanese, Soja,
Taba.

Origin Degas,
De

163.
Mme., Nara,
223. 197.

205.

Struve,

Chavannes,

Puvisde,

163,

166.

Deva

Kings,

283

INDEX

285
Kohitsu,
227.

Music,

161-162.

Painting, 162-163. Jiogioko, 241.

Josetsu, 64, 66.
Kabenari,
18.

Kojiki, The, 13. of Nagasaki, Kokau,

Komei,
Korean

105.

Ichikawa,

270.

Architecture,
194.

187, 191,
249, 261.

Kaga

Ware,
122.

225,
27.

235.

Korin, Korinsa, Koto, Kouroda,

96-97,
113.

232,

Kaikatei, Kakemonos,
Kamakura.

Yingo,
Ware,
270.

194.

Seiki, 260, 261-263.

Temples
193Dai-Butsu

and

Pagoda

of,

Koutani

236.
247-248.

Kowun, of, 197.

Kameiaan,

Temple
204.

of, 98-99.
57, 64, 93.
of

Koyetsu, Hoyami, iii. Koyomitsu,

Kukai,
see

Kamejo,
Kanaoka,

Daishi.

19-28,
Palace, Poets,
19.

Kunimara, Kunimasa, Kunisada,

119. 119.
119,

Decoration

Kyoto Sages
and

133.

Serial, Ancient
20. 21.

126-127. Kuniyoshy, Forty-seven Ronins,

Kuokudo,
122.

127.

God

Fudo,

Living
God Kano

Pictures,
23-24. 50,

22-23.

Kwannon,
200,

Dsijo,
School,

Sea-goddess, Hoy 270, see

19,

122,
en.

60,

et

seq.y

Kyoto,

18,

28,

29-30,
90,

56,
139, 239,

69-72,
109,

92, 93, 94, ^^j"r^., 133.

S7" 65, 66, 89,

193, 266.
207,

124-125,

225,
111-118.

231,

Kassoaga,
Kateda, Kavenaka, Keinen, Keisai,

Temple
27. 18.

of, 43-44.

Kyoto 256.

School,

Imao,
241.

Lacqner-work, 243-252. La John, Farge, 273.

Laotze, 57.
232.

Kenya,
Kenzan,

250.

96,
193-

105,
Palace

219,

Legros,
Lenzan,
Louis Louis

Alphonse,
122.

159.

Kinkakudi,
Kinroku, Kioko, Kiosai,
122. 112.

of, Kyoto,

XIV.,^
XV.

I 154-155-

,VL,95.
227.

Kawanobe,
iii.

257.

Machida,
Maida, Makimono, Masaccio,

Kiyamasa,

Maeterlinck,
331. 131-133,
126. I34"
227.

Maurice,

161.

Kiyomidsu Ware, Kiyomitsu, 126.

Kiyonaga,
113,

27.
12.

165. Kiyonobu, iii,

Masashige, noke,

General Statue

Kusu-

of, 261.

286

INDEX

Massanoba,
71.

Kano,

64, 67, 7011 1.

Ninsei,

96,

219^ 43.

231-232.

Nobuzane,
Okumura,

Massanobu,
Massanobu, Matahei,

Sotan,
Iwasa,
Kwai

64, 67. (Radical

Oado, Obaku,
Old

105.
at

104-109.

Meiji Bijutson
School), 64. Mdtshyo,
Metal

Temple of, Okakura, 265-266.

Ware,
234,
122,

Oyi,

193.

259-261.

Okyo,
Omura One

97-103,

172.

Ware,

239-243. 43. iS.

Ware,
Thousand

231.

Minamoto,

Leaves, of, 135.

lection Col-

Minamoto-no-Nabu, Minenubo, Ming

Blue

133.

Oriba

Ware,
Castle

234.

Ware,
43, 43.

229.

Ornamental

Arts,

216-252.

Mitsnnobu,

46, 48.

Osaka,

of, 193.

Mitsunoki,

Mitsnoky, 93. Mitsayoshi, 43.

Modem

Outomaro, Art,

134-139.

Serial, Silk-worms, 253-

136.
137.

Japanese
277.

Forty-seven
Owari,
225, 230.

Ronins,

Mokubei, Monet, Monotobu,

non,

233.

163.
Goddess
122.

Pottery, 224-238.
Kwan-

Raku

Ware,

230.

Morinaga,
Moro, Morofusa, Moronubu, Motomitsu,

133.
no.

Realistic

Movement

(Ukio-ye

Husuyuma,
133.

School),

Religious
109-111, 43.
124. 74-

103-153. 18, 56, 65, School, The,

108,

38,
133.

Renaissance, Ritsuo,

Motonaga,
Motonnbu,

82-84. Robbia,
Rokubei,

60-103. 205-206, Ogawa, 248-249. 219,

96,
Luca 227,

della, 203.
233.

Nagahnra, Nagasaki,
Nakoshi, Naokiko, Naonobn, Nara,
12,

133. 105.
241.

Saitchiso, 236.
270.

Kumagaye,
82, 94.
13, 17,
266.
21,

Saitoshy, 62. Sanda Seiji Ware,

193,

234.

179,

Satsuma, Sauraku,

197,

157, 82.

225,

236-237.

Nieinai, Nikawa, Nikko,

Temple
in.

of, Kyoto,

21.

Segin,
Seifu,
Seimin,

44. 241. 204,

122.

Pagoda
193-

of, 18"-183,

241.

Seisen,
of, 83.
227.

Temple Ninogawa,

Seitei, Watanabe,

270.

Sekighara,

Battle

of, 88.

INDEX

287
Stmdwick,

Sessd,

Okasaki,
relief

270. of

165.
28.

Bronze

Goddess
see

Suki,

17.

Benten, Sesshin, 67-72.

Settan, Shiba,
14a

271,

tration. Snminawa, illus-

Taga,
of, Nikko, of, Tokyo, 195.
29.

Castle

of, 193.

Taigado,
Takatshika,

133. 43.

Shiba, Temple

Temple

Takanobu,
Tamehissa, Tanemura,

82, 94.
43.
227.

Shibukohan,

105.

Shigenaga, 133. Shighemassa, 113. Nishimura, Shigenaga, also see Shijo School,
97, Shinto
121.

11

1.

Tan)ni, 82, 94. Taoun, 241. 204,

Tchikonobu,
133. 129-130.
82.

Okyo,

Tchikuden,
Architecture

Temples,

Tchiokuvan,

of, 187-189.
At At

Tchiorakouyi,
Omi,
Tchoin 126.

Temple
28.
at

of,

Kyoto,
Nikko,

193. 193.

Temple
194.

Kyoto,

193.

Shioukada, Shioukai,

94-95. 233.
122.

Teisan, Temmu, Tenno, Tetsusan, Tissot,

Shohizan,

Jimmu,
122.

194.

Shojo,
Shosen,

see

Shioukada. 234.

Shonsoi,
Shosizan,

159.

256.
133. 228.

Wares, Showo-Shigariki Shubun, 64, 66-67.

Tiyo, 241. of, 178. Todaji, Temple Tokaido, Fifty-three Stations

of,
Views

of,

see

Shunchosai, Shunsho,
Silver

139-140, 113.

165.
Kyoto,

Hiroshige. Nikko, Tokugawa,

Tokusai,
241. 21, 29,

195.

Temple,
60.

The,

Tokyo, 163.
Torei,
Tosa

89,

103,

Skarbina,

137, 133.

148, 184, 265,

see

133, 266.

Soja, Taba, 43, 92. (Bronze Sojo Family Workers), 241. Sojo, Ono, 44.
Somaw

School,
Tosa

Yamoto-

School.

Toshiro, Tosu,

230.

Ware,

234.

Watanobe,
127.

251.

Somin, Sosen,

96,
121.

241.

Totsugen,
112,

Soukenobu, 126,

Nishikawa, 127-128,
134.

Soumiyoshi, 44. Steinlen, 163.

Stevens, Alfred,
159.

Toyohami, 119. Toyoharu, 119. Toyohiro, 138. Toyokuni, 119. Toyokusi, 126. 11 1. Toyonabou,

288

INDEX

Toyoshiri,
Tsoutenaka,

119. 43. 133.

loi.

seq^

48,
93"

50,
"3"

51,

et

seq.^
see

64-67,
Motoxnitsu.

124.

Tsnnenobu,

Turgenjew, Tyron, Ukio-ye

D.

Yashiki,

The,
see

186. Yeishi. 133, i37" i39"

W.,

163.
etseq,^
HO-

Yasunobu, Yedo,

89,
141.

103,

School,
I32" 153i33"

50,
^^

109,
^^^^

Yedoreko,
of, Yeiraku,
27. 227,

Imperial

School

232-233.

Verga,
Wada, Wakai,

161.

Yeiri, Eisaka, The,

261. Collection of

119. 119.

Yeisen, Yeishi, Yeizan, Ydtoku, 157Yeto,

82,
119.
82.

94,

119.

Pottery, Weltausstellung,

226-227.
Vienna,

158.
Western Pictorial

Genjiro,
Kikuchi,
121.

262-263. 256,
257-259.

Art,
104, 172.
et

fluence Inseq.

Yosai, Yosen, Yoshiwara, Yuriaku,

of, Whistler,
Wood 159,

162,
1

136,
Emperor, Takigawa,

145.
17.

Engraving,
see

10,

et

seq,,

Ukio^e
Fair,

School. 266-

Yyeyosu,

88.

World's
271.

Chicago,

Zaitu,

122.

Wutaotz,

67.

Zeshin,

250,

251,

265.
96,
184,
193,

Zingaro,
Yamataka,
Yamoto-Tosa

Hidari,
204.

266.

School,

38,

et

Zola,

159.

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