The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-11-10
japanese Artists at Work.


The Japanese have great advantage
over European nations in being obliged
from infancy to learn the use of brush.
The alphabet is in fact series of exercises
in free-hand drawing. Not only is it COM
posed of an immense number of complicated
devices, but thousands of characters bor-
rowed from the Chinese are in daily use.
A boy who can write a letter has already
acquired the precision of touch of trained
European artist. In writing, the paper is
laid on the left hand, instead of desk,
as is the custom also with the Arabs. Fa-
cility of motion is thus acquired alike for
shoulder, elbow and wrist. Then, too, the
paper is of a peculiar quality, which at
once absorbs the ink, and it requires great
precision of touch to produce an even out
line. The early training and practice ac-
counts for the marvellous dexterity which
shows itself in the commonest and roughest
piece of decoration. There is always a
certain freedom of touch rarely acquired
by our best artists. Dr. Dresser gives an
interesting account of treat prepared for
him by Sir Henry Parkes. Five of the
most celebrated of the native draughtsmen
were invited to the embassy for the pur-
pose of practically exhibiting their method
of working In the middle of the room
was spread breadth of felt, on which was
placed the piece of paper, held down by
weights. Each competitor had long
slender piece of charcoal in bamboo hold
er, some broad fiat brushes of deers hair,
and round ones made of vegetable FIBRE
On slab was quantity of Indian ink
The first artist came forward, bowed, and
knelt down before his paper, consideringit it
attentively for a minute or two. He then
made few almost imperceptible dots with
the charcoal point, and, with a fiat brush
full of Indian ink, formed large irregular
mass in the centre, and, with a smaller
brush, few feathers and the end of pen
dant branch. Then, beginning at the top
of the paper, he worked downward, and in
a quarter of an hour produced an admirable
representation of cock and hen and the
branch of tree. The body of the hen
was skillfully left out in the painting, so
that it was formed merely of the uncolored
paper, but against the dark background,
and with few touches to indicate feathers,
it was entirely satisfactory and thoroughly
decorative.
A flower painter next made his bow and
knelt down. He too began with few
dots to guide him in the disposal of his
masses. Taking large brush full of green
pigment, he made one leaf with each sweep,
varying the shades in the different leaves,
but each leaf being of different color.
With another brush he formed peony
flower, shading it by merely putting little
water on quickly, before the red was alb
sorbed. The colors of his palette were in
digo, gamboge, crimson lake and red earth.
The japanese attach much importance to
the art of composition, and always carefully
arrange in their minds eye before begin
ming any design exactly how they will pro-
duce balance without uniformity. One of
the fair sex next tried her skill She was
flower painter to the empress, and chose as
her subject a simple little plant resembling
our winter aconite. 1t was represented as
if done up for sale with the root and
piece OF paper around IL. 1he lourUh coA-
petitor took one of his long fiat brushes,
dipped it in water, and squeezed it nearly
dry. He then made it take the form of a.
crescent, and dipped the middle part into a
dark solution of Indian ink, leaving the
outside of a lighter shade. A few hairs
were separated at one side and dipped in
the darkest shade. By dexterous move
ment the artist produced at a single stroke
the shaded body of duck and outline.
Afterwards he added the neck, head, feet,
and tail feathers, and a flying duck was the
result
Another expert used his brush in sim
liar manner, producing a train of rats and
a background. The bodies of the rats
were left out, as in the case of the hen, but
there was no doubt what animals they were
intended for, though the delineation was
done in this apparently hap-hazard manner.
1t is wonderful how the japanese can make
their animals live and move. Their birds
really peck, or fly, or stand, or strike their
prey. The fishes swim and wag their tails.
The insects creep, or eat, or sun them
selves There is no installing what they
are intended to be doing.