Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14

his ease, the owner Of this room may read
wherever his eyes turn the legends, goblin
stories, grotesque babies, mythology and
poetry of this interesting people, for these
are written wherever the Japanese artist
has traced a surface with brush, chisel,
grave or needle.
The room is a combination of old and
modern work. Mr.. Marquand had collected
much that could be incorporated in the
structure of the room, and this has been
supplemented bv modern work carried out,
however, on japanese principles and in the
spirit of Japanese art.
Conceive of the room in panels, and each
panel picture or an effect in color made up
of the most magnificent materials. These
panels include doors, windows and fireplace,
each treated in a way that shows the beauti-
ful artistically, but have some meaning.
The doors, for example, may be considered
as pictures set In magnificent frames. There
are two of them and they are double, disap-
pearing where bronze dragons on the floor
uncoil themselves and disappear in the wall.
The pictures in one door are two superb
lacquer panels representing spring and
autumn, and the other the thunder god and
an engaging devil simulated in gold, ivory
and mother of pearl. The frames are mag
wrought metal and stack work.
The wall space between the panels are
hung with embroIderies on red velours with
scenes of domestic life wrought fully an
inch IN relief, Then come irregular shelv-
ing and cabinets of quebracho wood, hard
red wood from Brazil, which is the wood
used in the room. In one of these cabinet
panels with background of silver lacquer
and bronze, each piece q work of art, is a
magnificent collection of blue and white
porcelain. In another panel are found tor
quoise and green porcelain. Still another
holds Mr.. Marquand's superb splash ware
combined with pink and gray porcelain.
The bay window in a raised alcove is an
other of these subdivisions.
THE CULMINATIoN OF SYMBOLISM.
But all the significance of detail cul-
inmates at the fire place which celebrates
the mystery of Japanese fire worships. The
symbolism begins with two crystal globes
resting on the backs of two bronze tortoise.
These are wreathed in fame like forms and
are lighted from behind by electric lights,
on this base the mantel structure is raised
and terminates in the cross piece cloissone
panels indicating the seven wonders of the
world. Birds, flowers, wave crests, fnny
things, all the insects that are attracted by
flame, find place here in fire screen, fender,
fire implements, while the center of all this
symbolism is an immense chased silver
plaque set in the mantel breast.
The ceiling of the room is written over
with rich carvings. Here the months are
represented in the signs of the zodiac, the
days of the week, the 26 letters of the alpha
bet, the numerals up to ten, the hours of the
day with suggestive legends, flowers, fruits
and all sorts of natural forms, unite in an
ol ha aboi
of bronze monkeys support vase around
which is a corona of candle. The clock is
another beautiful feature. Old Time cuts
out the hours, and crystal ball on which
are flying birds swinging across back
ground of tiny turquoise vases. The
bronze registers stimulate tongues of flame.
And ventilating apparatus of bronze forms
the pedestal for large pentagonic vase,
the gem of NJ. Marquand's collection. Elec-
trio light, steam heat, modern ventilation,
electricity do not belong to Japanese life,
but to these Japanese art gracefully bends.
The adaptation to the requirements of our
later civilization as it is seen here is very
interesting. Another thing is worth re-
marking, and apropos of what japanese
of cultivation who lives here once said to
me, which was: "The profusion in your
American houses bewilders me. He makes
our pleasures go further. In Japanese
room you rarely see more than one kind of
art at time. That is given the most promi-
nent place in the room. Everything does
it honor. Then, when we have feasted and
drunken on its beauty, it is taken to some
other part of the house, and some other
beautiful thing takes its place. But you
Americans, with your common rooms, suffer
always an artistic indigestion"
Now, in Mr.. Marquand's room, which is
made up of beautiful things, this difficulty
is obviated by Withdrawing them into
panels, of which the color impression is
the first thing, leaving the details to assert
themselves later.
MARY GAY HUMPHREYS.