Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-03
ART IN JAPAN.
a Day With the Expert Japanese
Artif1cers.

|
THE CRAZE FOR CURIos IN THE LAND OF THE
MoRSING-How THE REAL OBJECTS OF ART ARE
ExHIBITED-HABITs OF ARTIFICERs AND DEAL
ERs-cLoIsoNyR AND LACQUER MAKING.
| From The Stars Travelling Commissioner
TOKYO, August n.
There IL hardly drawingroom in London or
Paris or New York IN which there are not one
or two objects Of Japanese art, and yet no: until
You reach Japan do you discover what the craze
for japanese ''curios" really is. The second
thought, II not indeed the first, of almost every
gioDe-trotter who comes to the Land of the
Morning Is to procure some Japanese artistic
antiquities, either to add to the beauty and in
terest OF his own home or to excite the envy of
other collectors. The air is full of talk about
"oid pieces and fine bits" and magnificent
specimens" and when two tourists meet almost
the first question they put to each other is,
Have you bought much?" Everybody buys
| something. either new or old, and needless to
say IN many cases the former passes for the
latter. How the new is made however and BY
whom. or what chance there is of finding the
old and wherein great value NAV consist the
vast majority Of travellers know nothing what
ever.
IN RIDING ABOUT TOKYO
lions Of curios and bric-a-brac for sale. but
these are fifth-rate dealers to whom no expert
buyer ever thinks OF going, and their collec-
tons are not much above those Of our pawn
brokers az home. Real objects of art are never
exhibited by the dozen in Japan, either by
dealers or private owners. A Japanese gentle
man keeps his collection carefully packed
away in boxes and cottonwood. and when he
has guest coming he selects few. according
70 the time OF year. the character of the rooms
where he proposes to place them. and what he
Imaglnes to be the taste of his guest. A dealer
Keeps his stock in fre-proof ''go-down" at
tacbed to his shop. and when you go to buy
he invites you upstairs to private room,
arranSes cushions on the floor for you,
regaies you with tea and sweetmeats,
exchanges series of compliments
and cn;all-talk, and after twenty minutes or
half an hour lie claps his hands and his boys
!! bring the pieces in one by one, extracting
| each in turn from its box and soft wrapper Of
old brocadc or cloth and setting it before you.
Your inspection over, it is delicately wrapped
up again. These boxes are beautifully made
and are carefully preserved with the inscrip-
tons on them and the wrappers, all of which
furnish some evidence of authenticity. The
dealer shows you what he likes and does not
seem to care at all whether you buy or
not. And 1t is not much use to ask him
TO show you any particular objects; the
process is kind of collectors lucky
bag-you must them as they come
ont OF the warehouse. Nor is it worth while.
as you soon discover to your surprise, to bar
gain with him. except for articles of consider
able value. IL he shows you a screen for 500
you might offer him 300, and few days later
it might be sent to your house for $3.50; but
you would probably waste your time in offer
ing ann s45 for a lacquer tray priced at $50.
Tho dishonest dealers perfectly well known,
and few people trade with them except rich
travellers who like to be told that the object
before them is exactly what they are looking
Tor, while the honest dealers are above suspi-
clon of extortion.
AMONG woRKMEN.
1t is equally true Of the best modern produc-
lions that you cannot see them in quantity any,
whore The makers of them are true artists in
spirit. and to see them work You must follow
them ho!nc and watch them executing commits
SONS. Under the guidance of Captain Brinkley
spent two days among the artiicers of Tokyo
TWO days Of the keenest pleasures Of art study.
uost OF those whom We visited lived on the ex-
IRENE outskirts Of Tokyo, almost in the country,
and each in his little home. with two or three
pupils around him, worked away under
| oeh2htfui circumstances Of life, and under
conditions giving the freest scope to his
own genius and fancy. The only place we
visited that resembled factory was
where c'oisoane enamel was being made, and
thls unpleasant reminder of home was
only due 10 the fact that an order for these en-
anicis for the foreign market, sufficient to oc-
| ceivcd. Tn: process of making ctoison,e is very
complicated. First the plain copper vase or
bowi or tray - taken between the knees of the
Workman. who sni ps off bits of brass. the six
leeath OF an inch wide, from long roll before
him. bends them with tweezers and CLUES them
On edge to the copper thus making the out
lines and detail lines of the finished sketch
lying before him. An apprentice is putting
the simple pattern i'll this way upon the Hat
bottom of tray, while the most skilful work.
no dc 1iu. ~ t1a
eyes and feathers of cock on a plaque.
TINS outline is next passed to a table
between two workmen, who fill MP the
interstices with enamel, still following the
colored original before them. from ffty
little cups of colOred pigments. Then the work
Is fired again painted with ena,nels. again
fired and so on till little is seen but daub-like
distant copy. This is then polished down with
tho greatest care until the shining edge OF the
brass stri ps is reached and at precisely the
same point the Same cOlors are perfect copy
or the painting. CloisGnne making is labor of
the most minute kind added to exquisite skill
IN the handling and combining of pigments.
The result in its highest form is a painting
more delicate than water coors and more last
ing than brass. Formerly only geometrical
and decorative designs We're thus made; now
birds and fish and snow scenes have been
reached.
IN TIE HOME OF AN rvoRY-cARvER.
An ivory-carver sat in his room, open to his
nt,le garden, chiseiling upon q magnificent
tusk from which the form of very graceful
female figure was just emerging. The ivory
he held between his knees. while his tools
were all spread out by his side. How long
will this take yOu?' / asked .'About four
months, he replied. "And what is the pro-
portion between the value of the material and
the value Of the labor in such n work as this
when completed" Il paid $40 for this piece
OF ivory. and four months work at $50 /
month is $500. Total cost about 335O'-f54 |
Fancy one of the most skilful and original
artificers in the world-for this mans ivories |
are admired everywhere-simply estimating
his own labor at so silver dollars-less than IS |
"a month. while at home our great painters do !
not hesitate to ask thousand guineas fo- pic |
ture covering few square feet IL there any |
doubt which is the true temperament |
OF the artisT 'Are you not very sorry some |
times to part with one Of these works
that has been your companion and part |
OF your life for SO long?" He looked up |
for moment at big white lily nodding |
above him in the garden. and then gently |
shook his head. mo" he said; ''Kondo no ,cn !
motto ntagoto 40 ts,nori de goz1ialasu-I expect
the next will be more beautiful"
The woOd-carver. seated with dozen an !
prentlces among his fragrant litter knew that |
we were coming. and presented us each with a |
large sugar-fgured cake in pretty box. Yet !
Il am very poor" he said with a smile, ''for |
Woodworking is out Of fashion now Nobody |