Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-10
From TIE STARS Travelling COMMISSIONS


ART AID YoREIGN TAsTK-MAsrEKs IN MAsUFAc-
TURING ANTIQUITIES.
From TIE STARS Travelling Commissioner
TOKYO, August %.
II Is easy enough to write of the eurio shons
of Japan and of the odd manners and customs
of the dealers in artistic ANTIQUITIES. but il is
very different matter when Won come to the
curios themselves. This is a subject upon
which only an expert who has found wisdom
by years OF experience and the wasting of a
small fortune In learning not to make mis-
takes has the right to an opinion. Now. Can't.
Brinkley, Il. A., the editor of the japan Mai.
Of whom have written in my letter on japan
csc journalism, Is the first living authority
upon japanese and Chinese porcelain. and he
has been one of the closest students for MANY
years Of other branches of Japanese art. though
hescarefui not to claim expertship in them For
twenty years he has collected here and in China
and his overflow collections. one of which.
called The Brinkley Collection !, was dispersed
in New York few years ago are famous among
connolsse urs everywhere. Collectors come to
MN with letters from all parts of the civilized
world, and only few DAYS ago one of them. an
american mlilionalre, was begging to buy a
re" OF ms Pleces-"so that / can say have
some bits from your collection Won know ~
The work OF his life, History of Chinese and
Japanese keramics," with a multitude of the
most beautiful water-eolor book-illustratioBs
nave ever seem Is nearly ready for the pub
hshers- He Is very busy man. but took the
occasion OF being thrown with him for few
days. to elicit from him in several intervie VS.
the following very interesting true truths"
ABOUT japanese curios, old and new-their
makers, honest and dishonest-and their
buyers, wise and foolish. Collectors will do
Well to lay them to heart
DO you believe" / asked him. to begin with
IN the hopeless decadence of japanese art, SO
much talked of by connoisseurs in Europe?'
Il do not. That opinion is due, / think
partly TO the natural tendency of collectors,
VINO are always ta'sddtes tesporis act. and partly
perhaps chiehy-to the misrepresentation
old pieces2''
HAS there been no decadence, them"
A TEMPORARY LAPSE.
by no means. Some lapse from the best
standards was inevitable, but il is not such
lapse as NJ. Louis Gonse would lead US to sup
pose when he speaks of the wretched modern
products of japanese art, so feeble in every
way With the fall of feudalsm in 1868, ia
panese art manufactures lost the most liberal
and eager patrons ever developed by any so
cial conditions anywhere. Each feudal chief
was king who based the reputation of his fief
on martial prowess mp to the time of the Taik0,
and ON industrial superiority after that time
Specimens of the art products of the principal
fiefs used to be sent periodically 10 the Sho-
guns court in Yedo (Tokyo) and to the impe-
rial court in Ky6t0. Between the Daimyo
themselves. also. there was constant inter-
change OF objects of art. Thus whenever one
OF the artist artisans who constitute a class
peculiar to Japan, developed any special
ability, he could count on the munificent pa
tronage of his feudll lord. His future was
thenceforth assured. He became a pensioner
working leIsurely, and giving full play to his
genius. certain that excellent results would al
ways guarantee him against any inconvenient
scrutiny as To expenditure of time or money.
when feudal1sm was abolished. these halcyOn
DAYS disappeared Men depending on art in
dustr1es for livelihood. were compelled to
turn temporarily to foreign markets. and as a
natural consequence they adapted themselves
10 the supposed requirements of those markets.
10 appreciate what this meant. one need
only recall the attitude of the popular mind
thirty years ago in England. for example to-
ward all questions of aesthetics. The japanese
soon fell into The notion that profusion of orna-
ment, elaboration of detail and decorative bril-
nancy were the first essentials of a successful
appeal to Western approval. Hence the pro-
ductlon of a host of objects meretricious
CANDY and vulgar. representing not Japanese
taste but Japanese conception of foreign
taste. his was the Brummagem period of
Japan's art Happily she soon emerged from
IL For some years past her great aim has been
TO return to her own canons, and she now
manufactures objects worthy of comparison
with the choicest masterpieces of former
times"
us that true of all branches of art?'
PICTORIAL ART.
perhaps not, speak chiefly of art manufac-
lures. In pictorial art it might be rash to saw
that Japan possesses Just now any masters
worthy to rank with the celebrities of past ages
She has no Sesshiu, no Motonobu no Sosen,
and no Okyo. She has. perhaps a Hokusai and
aTsunenobu. but one hesitates to pronounce a
confident dictum on this point Nv own opinion
Is that IN respect of general excellence her
painters are not below the average level of the
past, though they certainly do not reach
Its highest eminences. Undoubtedly Ky0sai
can paint crow well az ChoSuan ever
depicted hawk, and some of Kangyo's land
seaPes deserve to be hung side by side with
those Of Tanyu."
But might a collector safely assume that the
porcelains, lacquers, bronzes. and worries, now
offered for sale in japanese shops. are virtually
equal to the corresponding works of past
years.
rs examine the matter a little in detail. In the
keramlc industry, for example, there il GER
family a loss. or at least practical absence. of
technical ability. This is evident in two re-
spects; first, In the purity and tineness of nor
ceiain pate; and. secondly, in the briIIianey
and quality of vitrifable enamels used for sur
lace decorations. Why there should be diff
Guilty, apparently insurmountable in obtaining
PATE equal TO that of former times, no one
pretends TO explain exactly. Chemically con-
sidered. there are six distinct varieties of por-
ceIaIn IN Japan, but for our present purpose il
Is enough 10 speak of the two great centers of
production
ARIrA AND owARI
The porcelain of the former contains in n
hundred parts. seyenty-seven of SILICA and
eighteen of alumina; the porcelain of the lat
ter, seventy of silica and twenty-one of alum
mia The Arita (Hizen) porcelain differs from
all other porcelains in being manufactured al.
fectiy from the stone of zumiyama. Else
where porcelain pates obtained by mixino
fuslble and infusible element-Petintse and
haoHn-the bone and flesh of the ware
But IN Hizen nature has provided material
ready TO be employed without any admixture
ms dlspeDs@tlon, a source of much pride 10
the potters of the district in olden times has
Us disadvantages well as its adyantaoes
Ihe manipulation of the stone demands i'm
mense care and skill. Success depends in a
great degree. upon unsparing expen
culture OF labor an expertness In Owayi
on the contrary, the usual process ia
folowed-the porcelain stone is mixed with
a kaolin clay. Both stone and CLAW are nrocnr
able In almost unlimited quantities bnt their
composition is variable that the action Of tI,e
mass IN the presence of a high temperature il
matter of the greatest uncertainty The Owar;
potter. not yet sufficiently scientific to anaIvze
ms materials. trusts much to chance, and CON-
sequently devotes a minimum of labor To pre
hminary processes which, for aught he knows
may be ultimately thrown away. Dwarf now