The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-08-25
49,
A JAPANESE: VIEW.
OUTLINE PRINCIPLES Of .pEcoRA-
TIoN AS SEEN eY 4 NATIVE.

OUTLINE PRINCIPLES Of .pSCORA"
TIoN AS SEEN eY A NATIVE.
Fans Not to Be Regarded as Articles Of
DecoratIon-Concernin Lanterns and
Umbrellas-Japanese Love. OF Simple
Thing.-Furniture and Landscape. :.
It's an error to regard fans as articles Of
decoration; ut least, the japanese themselves.
very seldom use them as such. :. There arc e1-;
ceptiona1 cases, Of course, as, where fan has:
ON it On autograph line Of certain eminent.
personagcs (which is most frequently tho
casel, or where some artist made It worthy Of.
esteem for touch Of his BRUSH. The like In,
stances will be almost innumerable, utd rIl.
der these circumstances simple unorna-
mcnted fan will mako itself ON jcet Of much
regard for It's owner, and the introduction Of
such fan into an elegant decoration will ele-.
vate the graceful tone of the place. Other
wise we will never bear to see a bundle Of
mere wind producers let loose, tackled against
walls, spread over bureaus, hung by posts,
and, in short scattered all over an apart,
ment as if they were goods for sale. Nay to
call that dainty fan decorationw ......
Nor do wo pretend. to appreciate those
costly fans much admired by the ladies of;
this country. The broad frames Of. polished
ivory, on which arc wrought e1travasant
carvings, and the shining fringes that ndorn
their edges, may be grand" but, honestly,
they lool; only awkward to our eyes When
summer comes the bulk and weight Of a fan.
of this description necessarily require certain.
amount Of muscular exertion to draw any
draught; but then 1t is found out that the.
heat generated in this exercise will generally,
be more than can be famed away by the,
drowsy flaps OF this not easily manageable:
weapon; and after all the ladies are obliged
to relate the history and the skillful work,
manship of this favorite fan amid fainting
breath and rl,rric,::ss rc::rsp,adon!'.
LANTERNS. AND UMBRELLAS. :gr-
Now hasten to mention lanterns and Hm-tt
brellas. Well, lanterns have some charm OF
their own. For instance, take plain glass
cased lantern and hang it in the deepening
shades of green bower on summer evening,
there You wilk perceive the very spot whero
pearly dews lodge, and in the stream Of its
pale rays, you will even imagine You wers IN
presence Of Goodness herself. Or hang out q
lot of paper lanterns in a gayrow, over your
windowsills and along your store fronts. Tho
burning candles will send out from every one.
Of your houses the air Of joy and hilarity to
join the pcvailing festivity Of any occasion.
But the umbrellas are. very charmless things,
and have nothing to say about them' ANY
way it was beyond the genius Of Japanese
people to bring either lanterns. or umbrellas
into richly decorated hall, and to dream the
harmony with tho glittering surroundings.
If it wcro in Japan should have good reason
to be offended ut my being led as guest into
q place whcrc lanterns and umbrellas aro
lying scattered IT,. %.".i !a.s.y
The time and circumstances have led the,
Japanese to acquire that peculiar taste OF low
ing simple things with imaginative concep-,
tions: and hence an aversion TO the childish
love of nero showiness and ,gorgeousness:,
Thus, the Japanese arc totally disguised with;
paintesl picture panels and silk ernbroideredl
screens, although they are above Others, well.
known in tho foreign market as japanese
goods. They are altogether too vulgar for
our taste, though We manufacture them, and
VIC supply the demands abroad. 1t Is truc,,
tho sliding doors, the movable screens, the.
hanging panels; arc all favorite AMI necessary
furritures of the japanese household decorn-
ton. but the point here Is that we would
rather have thcm framed and finished In q
Gentle and tasteful manner than have them,
debasetl with glaring and ostentatious cQlors.
or paints, and also that We would. rather
have them painted with a serene mountain
scenery or a poetic cuckoo flying in moon
than have them covered with cheap looking
embroidery work. -. :,
The same sentiment forbids us to overload
our rooms with mere curios.. For this retesoIi
our bronze flower vase, however unique. and,
rare q thing it may happen to be. we always
appreciate it better with fresh cut branches OF
trees planted in it than when it is kept topside
down on a special stand just to satisfy tho
visitors curiosity. ...
FURNITURE AND LANDSCAPE =.
Icondcsccnd to say that our dwellings gen.
orally lack glarins contrast of hues and OF
abundant frrnituIing Of chairs, sofas, mir
rors, stands, ETC., which are so many sources
Of western comfort. But it must be owned
that it is not the japanese temper to extort
wonder and admiration under glance. We
arc satisfied, if we find pleasure i'll looking
into our yard, where a hill rises III perfect
likeness of serene nature, and a cascade rip
pies down rugged precipice into pond be-
low, enjoyed by n pair or two OF happy ducks,
fishing peacefully at the roots of growing
reeds. We feel proud if the landscapes and
birds anl flowers upon our doors and screens
are vivid enough to transport our guest into
au unconscious recitation Of lyric. The
shelves, running not uniformly, but artisti-
cally; the carved figures, not grotcsque, but
quaint the exposed posts, neither shaven nor.
stained, but polished, until it is shiningi the
nails, Insignificant and yet ornament headed,
one by one, rs they como into perception, will
work imncasulable charm into the mind OF
all interested observer. =: 49,,
We have sometimes been .ridiculed at the
lack of geouetrical uniformity i'll our dccora-
ton, hut we never look over the harmony,
For instance, we will hang up our valuable.
pictures with q costly silk string instead Of
worthless wires, and the luXuriant plants we.
will keep in proportionally beautiful pots, in
stead Of crude wares of reddish brown earth.
Nor do VIC overlook that important principle.
of art of tlccoration-the change and refresh
ing; neither do We ovcrrrowd our rooms with
tho wholesale exhibition Of all beautiful.
things we have. We display panels and pic.
turrs Spar;ugly at a time in their numbers,
but we never allow the same ones to remain.
hung Mt the same spot over season; they are,
displaced with the reserved ones from time to;
time, thus giving the place tho fresh and
changed airs 20 slit the season and occasion,
In fact. this system of "sparc and change.
display is very sensible portion of japanese
decoration, for our visitors will always find q.
chance to do honor to the correct taste Of tho
host.-k. TakahaShi III Inter-Ocear
Breaking snd News In Bavaria.
The Bavarian idea of gently breaking bad
nn,rS i rnrI1linr Mhnn kincr LlllMio rOnl-