Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1883-07-18
: JAPANESE ARTISTS.
Tho wonderful Facility and QuicHhos'
of their Work Described.


Of brush, Their alphabet is in fact
a series Of exercises in free-hand draw
Ing. Not only is il composed OF an I'M
mense number of complicated devices
but thousand of characters borrowed
from the Chinese are in daily USE A
boy who can write a letter has already
unconsciously acquired the precision OF
touch of a trained European artist. LII
writing the paper is laid upon the left
hand, instead of a desk, as is the GUS
tom also with the Arabs. Facility or
motion is thus acquired alike ZOE
shoulder elbow, and wrist. Then, too,
the paper is of peculiar quality,
which at once absorbs the ink, and 1T
requires a great precision of touch to
produce an even outline This early
training accounts for the marvellous
deXterity which shows itself in the
commonest and toughest pieces of
decoration. There is always 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 native draughts-
men were invited to the embassy for
the purpose of practically exhibiting
their method Of working, In the mid
die of the room was spreal breadth
of felt, on which was placed a piece of
paper, held down by weights. Each
competitor had long, slender piece of
charcoal in a bamboo holder, some
broad, flat brushes of deer's hair and
round ones made of vegetable fibre.
On a slab was quantity of Indian
ink. The first artist came forward,
bowed, and knelt down before his
paper, considering it attentiyely for a
minute or two. He then made few
almost imperceptible dots with the
charcoal point, and with a Hat brush
ull of Indian ink formed a large ir-
regular mass in the centre, and with a
small brush few feathers and the end
of a pendent branch. Then, beginning
at the top of the paper, he worked
downward, and in quarter of an hour
produced an admirable representation
of a cock and hen and the branch of a
tree. The body of the hen was skill
fully left out in the painting, 50 that it
was formed merely of the uncolored
paper; but against the dark back
ground, and with a few touches to in.
dictate feathers, it was entirely satisfac-
tory and thoroughly decorative.
a hower-painter next made his bow
and knelt down. He, too, began with
a 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 an even color. With an
other brush he formed peony flower,
Shading it by merely putting little
water on quickly before the red was
absorbed. The colors of his palette
were indigo, gamboge, crimson lake
and red earth. The japanese attach
much Importance to the art of compo-
sition, and always carefully arrange in
their minds eye before beginning any
design exactly how they will produce
balance without uniformity. One of
the fair sex next tried her skill. She
was hower-painter to the empress, and
chose as her subject Il simple little
plant resembling our winter aconite
1t was represented as if done up for
sale with the root and piece of paper
found it. The fourth competitor took
one Of his broad flat 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 in
a dark solution OF Indian ink, leaving
the outside of lighter shade. A few
hairs were separated at one side and
dipped in the darkest shade. BY
deXterous movement the artist pro.
duced at a stroke the shaded body of a
duck and an outline. Afterward he
added the neck, head, feet, and tail
feathers, and a lying duck was the re-
suit.
Another expert used his brush in a
similar manner, producing a train of
rats and background. The bodies of
the rats were left out, as in the case of
the hen; but there was no doubt what
animals they wereintended for, though
the delineation was done in this appar-
emily hap-hazard manner. 1t is Won
derful 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 themselves.
There is no mistaking what they are
intended to be doing. .--Saturtlay Recie1C,
An Interesting Relic.
George Washington's carriage is now
in rather dilapidated condition. Iti