The Irish standard., 1886-05-29
4. JAPANESE ART IN NEW YORK.
a spectacle Which, Few People x4are
Ever Seen ON Ehts Sids ofEhe

4
Water.
That everything that is worth seeing can
) be seen in New York, is not d trtssn,; but
it is true there are many things that are
worth observing chat are not generally
seen. But a limited number OF persons
are aware that there are bwo rooms i'll one
Of the japanese manufacturing and trad
ing companies that truly represent q
miniature house and which are finished,
furnished and decorated in the true
Japanese style The house is the work Of
tirst-class mechanic Of Toxic. An ascent
of five steps brings one to the outer C,OOr.
which is OF hardwood and sliding, as IN
deed are all the japanese coora. winch
move without Il creak or JAZZ. The door
leads to the reception or ''tea" room.
The ceiling is constructed OF woven. bam-
boo yarjegaIet smoked and natural.
Along the hardwood wainscotting there is
a border of lacauered wood and the walls
are covered with paper in gold sratter-
work OF SOFT, artistic tone. There is
nothing nailed to the floor, but under the
feet is mating which feels unusually soft
and spllngy This mating is laid on
cushion or bed Of straw about six inches
thick and enclosed in cloth and correspond
ing in width to the mating. The Size OF
a Japanese apartment is never given III
feet OF inches bat is said to be Il room OF
SO many mattings, and IL mating is gen
orally understo ood to represent space CT
three by ten feet.
The window in the reception room is
made Of rice paper in place OF glass, ana
gives just us much light as though con-
structed OF the Latter material, although
it is Of IL softer tone. In Japan it is Gus
e., -+I,D olo tr hnyl
rice-paper windows in their dwellings.
This room contains a sideboall upon
which there are water bottles aud tea
caddies while underneath there is q set of
lacquer ware fer rice and other soft food,
and porcelain ware for meat and fish. III
the centre OF the room there stands a
bronze lirebox containing a bed Of ashes Of
leaves. When it is desired to have lire
some charcoal is placed on these ashes and
kindIed in the open air, and after the
smoke escapes it is returned to the room
and throws out % good heat. Between
the tea-roorl and the parlor there are hand
painted silk-fTont sliding doors, which can
be opeEed from either side. The ceiling
ant, wainscoting Of the parlor are Of var
iolls bard woods, the walls and floors
being covered similar to those Of the re-
ccption room. Here, OF course, is found
All incense burner and bronze smoking
sets. But few ornaments are visible.
On opening q cupboard. however,
in one corner OF room, various
curios are found. This is the prevailing
custom in Japan, and the mistress Of the
house changes the ornaments from time to
time, putting those not in use in the cup
board On state occasions, however, she
displays her entire collection. About the
house are scattered & number of small
windows with q panel OF fret work, with
bamboo shades. There are not any
chairs in the house, their place being sup
piled by cushions. III one part OF the
parlor there is a raised platform which is
kept for distinguished guests and the host
is supposed to Aneel before it to serve
them. The woodwork and interior finish
are very simple, the doors and window
frames are without ,nouldings and there
are no mantel carvings. Repeated dust
ings with rubbings have given to the
natural wood d polished surface and Il
mellow tint The beautiful lacquer work
formerly so extensively manufactured by
this slillfui people, and which could be
procured at SO trltiints a cost, is now be-
corning rare; in fact, so valuable has this
old lacquer work become that many
pieces OF it have been returned from Paris,
New York and other art centres to Japan
to hn sold