The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-04-16

/ IlNVu lIoIn ttt y VI 'hA
book OF Miss Isabella Bird will see cause to
recsst some OF their ideas after reading q
| book BY Mr.. HENRY NORMAN entitled The hed'
| Japan tScribnereL The author OF this work.
like the other authors above named. processes
to offer us studies Of contemporary Japanese
manners. morals. administration and politics.
But he has more to tell and tells 1t moro
frankly. than any OF his popular f~orerunners.
Nowhere else can one obtain 80 clear q con-
ception Of the distinctive traits and native ap.
| titudes OF tho Japanese folk. or OF the extent
to which they have absorbed western ~civiliza-
ton: and nowhere is tho status OF woman
among them disclosed SO freely. yet withai
Ia . decorous way.
OF the thirteen chapters among which the
Interesting matter collected by the author Is
distributed. there is not one on which We could
not dwell with pleasure. But seeing that some
choice must be made. We prefer to glance at
those which deal with the present condition
OF art in Japnn and with Japanese women. In
GLIDING an account OF those belonging to the
guild Of dancing girls. as we'll as the inmates
OF the yoshiwara. about whose relations to
Japanese society some grotesque misconcep-
ton obtains on this side OF the Atlantic.
Before proHtinG by some OF Mr.. Norman'
comments on the actual products OF Japanese
artists and craftsmen and on the relative value
OF Cn6lE ACnl0NehouCS COhpaioo WIZ W
their forefathers. We should premise that. in
his study OF the work Of tho Toxic artiicers
and OF the treasures amassed by Japanese COL
~lectors, he had the great advantage OF receiv-
ing suggestions and advice from Capt. Brink
ley. r. A.. who Is generally recognized as .
high authority upon Japanese porcelain and
rs An expert. though he does not claim ex-
pertness. in other branches OF Japanese art
Mr.. Norman 10 not one OF those who use the
phrase curren. among connoisseurs in Eu-
rope. the phrase a Affirming the hopeless deca-
dence OF Japanese art This opinion 10 due.
he says. partly to the natural tendency OF coll
~lectors. who arc always inclined to praise the
past. but chiefly to the Misrepresentation OF
dealers who seek to enhance the value OF old
pieces 1t is conceded that some lapse from
the best standards was inevitable. but there
has been no such Lapse. we are assured. as .
French virtuoso would lead US to suppose.
when he speaks o. the wretched modern
products OF Japanese art. 80 feeble in every
way" Unquestionably. with the fall OF
ism. in 1868. japanese artists lost the most
liberal and stimulating patrons ever devel-
oped anywhere by social conditions From the
time Of the establishment OF the Shogunate.
each OF the great feudal lords based
the reputation Of his fef on the indus
trial superiority OF his subjects. Between
the lords themselves-the so-called Dali
myos-there was a constant interchange
OF objects OF art, and specimens OF tho prod
ucts OF the principal fiefs used to be sent peri
odically to the ShoRun's court in Toxic. as
we'll as to the imperial court In kioto. Thus
whenever one OF the artisans. who constituted
. distinct class. developed any special ability
he could count upon muniicent patronage.
He became a pensioner. working leisurely and
giving full play to his genius. certain that
excellent results would always shield him
against too curious scrutiny as to his expendi-
ture OF time. When feudalism was abolished.
those who were dependent on art industries
were compelled to turn temporarily to foreign
markets. and adapted themselves to the sup
posed requirements OF the foreign custom
ers. 1t is pointed out BY Mr.. Norman
that the attitude Of the popular mind
thirty years ago in England and in tho
United States toward all aesthetic questions
was very different from what it is now. The
Japanese when they began to court Western
approval fell into the notion hat profusion OF
ornament. elaboration OF detail. and decora-
tive brilliancy were Indispensable. Hence the
production Of q host OF objects. meretricious.
gaudy. and vulgar. representing not Japanese
taste. but q Japanese conception OF foreign
taste. This Was the Brummagem period
OF Japan's art. from which 1t has now
emerged. For some years past the aim
OF Japanese artists and artiacers has
been to return to their own canons.
and they now manufacture objects some
OF which are worthy Of comparison with
the choicest masterpieces OF former times
Mr.. Norman does not aver that this is true Of
all branches OF art-of pictorial art. for In
stance. Neither would he venture to affirm
that the porcelains. lacquers. bronzes. and
worries now offered for sale in Japanese shops
are equal In all respects to the correspond
ing works Of previous epochs. He admits
that In the ceramic. industry, for example.
there Is certainly Q loss Of technical ability.
The decadence shows itself first In the purity
and ~fneness OF the porcelain pate. and Sec
ondly In the brilliance and quality OF the vitri-
fable enamels used for surface decoration.
The workmen cannot afford to prepare their
pates with the loving care bestowed In former
times. and 1t In suggested that some delicate
details Of the process may have escaped them
through want OF practice. The preparation Of
the decorative enamels also is often imperfect,
and there is always . disposition to replace
them with pigments On the other hand. 1t
must be remembered that the item Of decora-
tive design entered into the account. and here
the advantage is on the side OF modern ceram-
lists. They choose their subjects from a wider
field and execute them with no less fidelity
than their predecessor.
The truth 10 that porcelain proper has al
ways been q secondary product OF the ceramic
industry In Japan. II 10 In faisnce that the
Japanese have achieved and still achieve their
greatest triumphs. We are told that in Kioto
certain wsll-known artincers turn out faiencs
which In respect Of technique and artistic
Qualities 10 not inferior to the old-tims
chets-f1urres OF Awata. Iwskura. and Kiyo-
mizu. 1t is not indeed possible to reproduce
the celebrated Satsumaf aience. We are told
that even in Japan genuine examples OF old
satsuma have always been Us rare as choice
diamonds. During the past ten years the aver
age number o fpieces coming into the market
mas not exceeded ten or twelve. Comment 10
supsrnuous on the fact that thousands OF al
legged specimens Of satsuma have within tho
same period been sent TO Europe. Inexperl-
eneed collectors arc cautioned to remem-
ber that there 10 no such thing as q
-.