Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-07-22

ing their way across the face of the full
moon. TO show that the gentleman
meant business he inclosed a check of
S ,0G0 as a guarantee of good faith.
such a commission as that would be
equivalent to sending an artist. like a
Munkaosy or a Messionier, a request for
a picture accompanied by a check for
about s25. 1000: for the ambition of the
Japanese nobleinan was to have a pie
ture painted by the first painter in the
empire. and which would be regarded
most valuable in the land of the rising
sur.
The duke waited for nearly a year for
the reply from the artist, and as none had
been received from him up to the eNplfa-
ton of that long period. he wrote again,
inclosing a further check as a gentle hint
tina a reply vas wanted Il eagerly
looked for.
The artist wrote Immediately, returning
the money that had been sent, and say
ing that ever since he had received the
favor of the communication from the
duke he had watched at the period OF
, every moon for a good opportunity to
make the requisite study from nature,
but had not yet succeeded in so doing.
1t was impossible to say when he would
be able to do it.; it might take him five,
10, Is years: it might be that he might
never see a flight OF such birds in such a
way as to be able to reproduce them
correctly. and he therefore returned the
dukes most magnificent present.
This illustrates how very conscientious
ly Japanese artists work, their idea being
not to paint a subject unless they are
closely bound up in the story of the pic
ture they are painting. and versed IN all
the details connected with 1T.
Another powerful noble-a emit OF
the court circle of the emperOr-desirous
of having a sword case of gold bronze
made, invited to his house an artist VINO
was celebrated in that line. 1t was TO
be Ornamented with an autumn lanu-
scape and an OK in the foreground. II
was after the usual festival in connection
with the new year (When nobody works
for nine days. that the artist arrived. He
went to work with a will, mixed his met
ais, made his designs, passed on to the
engraving and inlaying. and in three Or
four months had his sword case nearly
completed. In fact, with the exception
of the figure of the OK to be inlaid, it was
practically done, and to the satisfaction
of the cOurtier.
But suddenly the artist was seized
with an apparent fit Of laziness. Instead
Of finishing the work, he took up his
book. pipe and tobacco, and day after
day went out into the green fields and die
not return again till evening.
Months passed by like this. but being
an aftlSt. as mas Deen pointed oul ear
lier. nobody questioned him or interferec
with him or his liberty. But the imparia
courtier wanted his fancy sword for 2
special occasion at court, and so venturec
to ask the artist why he didn't proceed
with the work. since there was not mucf
more to be done to it.
The patience of the patron was really
getting exhausted. The reply was as or
iginal as it was characteristic of the
country. With a mind conscious of recti.
tude. and a heart full Of devotion to his
work, the artist said that when he cam
to make the OK required in the foreground
he knew not whether the expression Of 1T:
face in autumn might not be differen
from what it is at other seasons of th'
! year, so he had been waiting through thu
spring and summer for autumn, and nov
that it had arrived he would study tn
animaTs face, and the sword case would
.. be ready in a few days.
The answer was deemed satisfactory
and the artist was not again questioned
or disturbed, and his work when com
pleted received deep praise.