The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-09-20
A NEW ART.
-..,re=e Methods of Arranging
@P-- ETnuyerz
From the london Times.


uav brancn OF japanese art has made
aarssra .ce on the western horizon, and
N rr7ba Is sool be among US, and.
-. in full possession of our houses.
q -. b. we'll, theresore, while yet there IS
= - m err .icaiy examine the invader and
In M, 1T minds as TO the character or
ME- -,-arri0n which should be accorded
A0 he first instance; the ultimate
u can scarcely be a matter
aoubt. although the degree
q stance may vary. That the
Q, sacr1s one Of Importance will readily be
sI-.rs+o d when it is mentioned that the
u--art i, that OF arranging tiowers-new
81 L. rouutrg, bot old as the other arts in
- The apostle of the new cult 10 Mr..
S@a,s5a- an architect in the service of the
81 SS..ra,a yoverl ment, who has devoted
- study to the subject, and who lately
s---rpded the theory and principles of
q gIAss.-ssa lower arrangements before an
ca Of cultivated foreigners IN Toxic,
~ copita! Of Japan. lie explained that
,ra urirciples governing Japanese floral
c-mpoSltions were toJalIy dlueren6 IRON
"a 80 an, lied to floral arrangements in
r.1rona In the latter the bloSs ms alone
We attention, aud are crowded together
81 - r:oh masses of +, with little attention
81 - ;1Jividual form and total dis egard of
81 i've lines of stems, branches and Of the
q ,aractar of growth; in Japan, on the othec
q hand. the basis of all flower designs is
q g, les of harmo ling lines IN which the
q lens and branches play the most important
a nsrt Ihi; instructive perception OF the
bsauty of harm NOUS lines is everywhere
noticeable III the arts OF japan.
IT'S HISTORY AND SCHOOLS.
The arr of flower arrangement, like all
81 cther a ITS in japan, has long history, and
81 bIs irs various SCHOOLS. At first it appears
81 n have been mainly connected with Bud
81 dbism. taeu indigenous schools arose, It.
81 etruct4d bv some men of more than usual
81 ORIGINALITY and mental vigor. In fact, its
81 bi.fo v appears to have taken very much
the same lulse as that of the pictorial arts,
81 with which Dr. Anderson has lately made
81 he western art world familiar. The most
noDular school of the present day Is the e =
shin. According to the doctrine of this sect
or school. as emu uciated by Mr.. Gender, all
81 Aover arrangements were built about an
81 lrnaej.arv skeleton formed of lines of bal
auced curves. S symmetry, the most elemen-
rarv Kind OF balance in composition, was es-
u cbewed, but a more subtle b Irmony was OBJ
tanned IA more i'll conformity with the prIn-
ciples Of beauty as dscoverable in naJur al
furms. The ordinary flower arrangements
were Two, rec, five or seven lined, and a
81 somewhat different character was bestowed
81 upon these lines according as they were
II APPLIED to standing or to hanging arrange
81 rients Intimately connected with the
character Of flower compositions was the
81 formof the vessels employed, Of which there
were several kinds adapted for standing,
resting against the wall or pillar, OF sus-
pending. Among these we're certain curious
81 vases made of bamboo cylinders with seve-
ra4 sue o enings intended for the arrange
meut of flowers in Sc eral stages. In these
cJuDJslti ms, which COntalled several
xmas of plants or trees in com ination, the
II locality uf growth and special character
were never lost sight OF, a distinction being
always preserved between trees, land plants
and water plants.
ID selecting and arranging flowers the
Appropriate season, and, in the case of
81 pA t, common TO several seasons, the pecu
har character at the artlcular season we're
never lost sight of. Used in combination,
some held higher rank than others, and with
81 different varieties Of the same pieces the
clogs had certain order of precedence.
- White boss ms, as rule, ranked first, but
there We're several exceptions TO this rule
Tie idea OF sex was applied in several way to
|# tbe Character of leaves, stems ami blossoms
81 in combination, the leading idea of such dis
81 tlctiOns being to produce pleasing va
81 rely and to avoid redundancy. Many
81 curious fanciss existed with regard to the
selection OF trees and pla its. Those having
pois nous properties in stem, root or flower,
81 and some suggestive of ominCus association,
either on account of their lanes or owing
81 toaccidental tradition, came under the ban
81 Of i'll luck, and were stddlously avoided.
GOOD DEAL OF CEREMONIAL
was mixed up with the practice of arrang-
s. Ing flowers. wergatherilgs were often
held, at " hich it was usual for the guests to
make flower compositions, in which cas9
certain etiquette wa, to be followed both
by visitors and by host. Special occasions,
such as weddings, comings of age, house
q warnings, we!comlnGs, farewell gather
mgs and anniversaries all had ap-
pr pirate flowers and appropriate
methods of designing. Harmony was
required between the flower groups and
tie wall fixtures in front of which they
were placed. This related both to harmony
Of lines and proportion as well as to har-
mony or character One must not clash
with tho value, motive or effect of the other,
and II possible the combined arrangeme /
OF picture and flower group should have
continuity Of idea. For example, in
the case OF a picture representing a
water landscape being used, the flowers
arranged in front might be irises
Or other water plants, suggestive of
tie foreground of the landscape. Some of
the most popular flowers were treated in a
variety Of wa s, at first sight seemingly
aprlclous enough, but actually founded
upon close Observance of natural laws
combined branches of cherry blossoms
were to have buds in the center and top.
and BLOSSOMS at the base and sides, mas
much as the cherry tree commences bios
coming from the lower side branches.
IN the same way arrangements OF
autumn leaves were to be redder
near the top, because banks Of maple tree;
become redde ed first ward the top OF
Ine slope. After the general arrangement
u the composition into harmo Nous lines
special attention was devoted to the distri-
ouuon OF blossoms, bu S aud leaves. With
aISe-nowered plants, such as the chrysan-
HeIium AMI peony, an over-crowding OF
blossoms was studiOusly avoided and full
1owers buds and alf-opened flowers were
distributed with careful regard to
4 VARIETY OF FORM AND BALANCE OF MASS
81 certain plants, such as the Chinese or
Ri Iinu, We're valued only for their fine ova
caves, and VITA certain other Towering
mmaVeF plants, like the iris and narcissus
JUG long biade-shaped leaves received more
a.Do 1lon than tie bloss )ms. The judiciou.
. saouplng, bending and turning of these
rpsaNeS, 50 as to reveal their different sur.
,aOe9 Without redundancy, formed an i'm
.tant branch of the art. Fanciful classl.
III uSa'iohS into male and female principles
5,.u INTO Imaginary functions, such as dew.
an4pplilg leaf, dsw-holding leaf, spring leaf
~ - "luter leaf came to the assis ance OF
S 81 designer in producing becoming effects
SAiI IN ma ip Il alton was only to he &C.