The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-08-01
PATIENT ARTISTS.
The japanese Take Plenty Of Time for Their
Work and Are Never Questioned.

In olden days. long before the intro
auction Of European civilization into
their country, most Of the artistic work
ordered by the lords of the land of the
Mikados was done on their own prem
ises. either by artists who lived there
permanently and formed part of their
retinue. or by specialists who were call
ed for the purpose. and remained in the
house as guests OF the patron until the
work was completed.
Whether the artist was a member OF
the household or not, says the Cincin-
natl Enquirer. he had everything he
wanted while working, even TO the
finding OF his clothes and pocket money
and painting materials, and when the
work was finished he had a gift of
money corresponding with the size OF
the picture and the excellence OF the
work done. the latter being determined
by the praise of the critics who came
TO inspect IL.
The artist worked when he chose. as
he does now, he had free liberty given
to him, and he went hither and thither
ed. license which has yet to be found
given TO anybody of any rank In Japan.
native nobleman of great power.
wealth and influence, once invited TO
his house a celebrated artist u paint "A
picture for him, the subject OF which
was To be a flight of certain native birds
winging their way across the face Of
the full moon. To show that the ge-
tleman meant business, he inclosed
check for $4,000 as a guarantee OF good
faith.
Such a commission as that would be
equivalent TO sending an artist. like
Munkacsy or Meissonier, request for
a picture accompanied by check for
about $4,000; for the ambition OF the
japanese nobleman was to have a pic
ture painted by the first painter in the
empire, and which would be regarded
most valuable in the Land OF the Ris-
ing Sun.
The duke waited for nearly a year
for the reply from the artist. and as
none had been received from him up to
the expiration of that long period, he
wrote again, inclosing a further check
as gentle hint that reply was want
ed ard eagerly looked for.
The artist wrote Immediately, re-
turning the money that had been sent,
and saying that ever since he had re-
ceived the favor OF the communication
from the duke he had watched at the
period of every moon for a good oppor-
tunity to make the requisite study from
nature. but had not yet succeeded in
doing so.
1t was impossible to say when he
would be able TO do 1t: IL might take
him five, ten, fifteen years; IL might be
that ne 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 conscien-
tiously japanese artists work. their
idea being not TO paint subject unless
they are closely bound up i'm the story
OF the picture they are painting, and
versed in all the details connected with
IL.
Another powerful noble-a member Of
the court circle of the emperor-desir-
Gus OF having a sword case of gold
bronze made. invited to his house an
artist who was celebrated i'm that line
IL was To he ornamented with an au-
tumn landscape and an OK in the fore
ground. IL was after the usual festiv III
I'm connection with the new year (when
nobody works for nine days. that the
artist arrived. He went to work with
a will, mixed his metals, made his de-
signs. passed on to the engraving and
inlaying, and i'm three or four months
had his sword case nearly completed.
In fact. with the exception OF the fig
ure of the OK TO be inlaid, IL was prac-
ticaly done and to the satisfaction OF
the courtier.
But suddenly the artist was seized
with an apparent fit of laziness. In
stead Of finishing the work he took up
his book, pipe and tobacco. and day af-
ter day went out into the green h'lds
and did not return again until Cvcn-
ing.
Months passed by like this. but be-
ing an artist. as has been pointed out
earlier, nobody questioned him or ir
terfered with HIM or his liberty. But
the imperial courtier wanted his fancy
sword for a special occasion at court,
and so ventured to ask he artist why
he didn't proceed with 'he work, since
there was not mucn mora 10 be done
70 H..
The patience OF the patron was re-
ally getting exhausted. The reply was
original as il was chara teristic of the
country. With a mind cons cious cf
rectitude. and a heart full of devotion
to his work. the artist said that when
he came to make the OK required in the
foreground he knew not whethef the
expression OF it's face in autumn might
not be different from what 1t is at
other seasons NJ the year, so he had
been waiting through the spring and
summer for autumn. and now that IL
had arrived hs would study the ami
mails face and the sword case would be
ready in n few days.
The answer was deemed satisfactory,
and the artist was not again ques-
toned or disturbed. and his work when
completed received due praise.
The official stenographer i'm the trial