Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-07
Art in Burmah.

ART IN burman.
From the Magazine of Art.
The workmen of Burmah, although they have
little idea of composition, are wonderfully
fertile designers of details. They can all draw
with freedom and grace; their legends are full
OF stirring incidents, and deal with varied
range of characters, from the puny human
infant to the grotesque man-eatlng monster.
Their standards OF masculine and feminine
beauty differ from ours, but are, nevertheless
quite possible. Without the insight the deli
cate refinement Of the Japanese, they are free
from the extravagance of the Chinese, and there
is nothing in their art so debased as the repre-
sensations of Hindu gods
There are as yet no artists in Burmah, and
to see how the people draw we must examine
the designs Of the decorator the gilt lacquer
maker, the silyersmith and the wood carver 1t
is true that pictures may be seen in some of the
houses of the well-to-dO. Many of these are
panels taken from the base OF the funeral pyre
OF monk and the others are similar produc-
tons made to order by decorators. These pic
lures are remarkable chiefly for the glaring
colors used, for the absence of any compost
ton and for the distorted perspective common
to oriental representations. The drawing is,
however, good, the attitudes are lifelike and the
story is generally well told. To European eyes
the attitudes appear as distorted the per-
spective. but it needs a very slight knowledge
of the country to recognize that the Burmans
habitually placed themselves in the most I'M
calmly positions. After more intimate ac-
quaintance with their mode of life we
find out that these very attitudes are
esteemed graceful and are only acquired
after years of practice For example.
n village belle comes to take her seat at the
theater. The place is crowded with people sit
ting on mats spread on the ground. She is per-
fectly self possessed, though conscious Of gen.
eral criticism. A dainty wreath Of jessamine is
plaoed tiara-wise just below the neat coils of
ali mi hai 2Ha n ito
jacket. with tight-ftting sleeves. and over one
shoulder q maize-colored scarf is thrown.
With every swaying movement of her 1.-the
limbs the gay colors Of her narrow silk petit
coat glance and play in the light Of the faring
torches. When she reaches the mat that serves
as the family box. she sits smilingly down and
leans on one arm. and gradually turns the hand
round inward until the elbow is bowed outward
in hont. The general impression is one of sup
pie grace; but. il We watch this girl walking
through the village by ordinary daylight we
shall see that she swings her arms backward
and forward. in time with the circling sweep
of her out-turned feet And further,
when resting during the cool Of the evening un-
observed in the recesses of the rest house, we
may see little maidens. scarce promoted to the
dignity OF clothes, practicing again and again
these curious motions and attitudes. Our criti-
cism OF the same attitudes varies with our own
feelings, and the secret of the illusion at the
theater is, perhaps, in the nature of the sur
roundings. In the early morning, under the
open sky, and with the hard business Of the day
before US, we looked with the cold ewes Of the
foreigner; in the evening. when tired, but with
our worries behind US. we were able to enter
into the children's play, amused and half un-
derstandins; but at night We leave the house
and everything English in il and, sitting in the
midst Of Burmese crowd, are able to under
stand their modes Of thought and their stand
ards Of beauty.